JEDDAH: Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed on Wednesday attended a ceremony organized by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to honor volunteers who participated in relief, rescue and cleaning operations following the Nov. 25 flash floods.
Prince Mishaal prepared the last of the 200,000 food baskets that have been readied by some nine charitable organizations and 13 NGOs for distribution among flood-hit families. “This relief campaign reflects the solidarity and cooperation of Jeddah people,” the governor said.
Muhammad Badahdah, assistant secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), commended the participation of a large number of organizations in the relief operation, which was carried out with the full support of the Jeddah governorate.
Badahdah’s organization played a leading role in the relief operation by deploying a large number of youth to reconstruct and clean damaged houses and distribute relief supplies.
Mazen Batterjee, deputy chairman of the JCCI, thanked Prince Mishaal for attending the ceremony in order to distribute certificates of appreciation to volunteers.
He said among the more than 5,000 volunteers half of them had taken part actively in field works covering all affected districts.
“About 750 young men and women participated in preparing food baskets at Jeddah International Center for Events in order to distribute them among the deserving people.”
He highlighted the work of volunteers from both men and women, adding that they did their duty without expecting any material benefits.
“They were able to project a positive picture of the Saudi society through this excellent work,” the JCCI official said.
Batterjee said the distribution of donations to affected families would continue through the participating charitable organizations under the supervision of JCCI and in coordination with the governorate and Civil Defense.
He said the third phase of the cleaning and reconstruction operation has started, adding that it would include renovation of 3,000 damaged houses. He hoped that families would be able to return to their houses very soon.
