Some business firms and corporate houses have come forward to contribute their share of charity work that is proving beneficial to orphans as well as both physically and mentally challenged children.

In cooperation with Al Ber, a Saudi relief organization helping the needy, orphans and poor families, and Ensan, the Charity Committee for Orphans Care, Pringles is organizing programs related to community service and charity in Riyadh and Jeddah during the holy month. The activities include sports events aimed at integrating the orphan and underprivileged children of such organizations in the society, and motivating the people in general to encourage children achieve their goals. Used consumer goods and electronics gadgets are being collected from children who accompanied by their families are offering these as gifts to handicapped and underprivileged children in a bid to make them realize that they are part of the society. Such gifts being collected at designated places are earmarked for the orphans for their use. In Jeddah, the charity house for the purpose is located at the Red Sea Mall where children can bring their gifts neatly packed, which are then covered with attractive wrappers leaving space for messages from the givers.

“The charity house is a golden opportunity for children to give, which will inculcate in them a sense of giving and thus serving the needy,” Turki Qary, GM, Pringles, Saudi Arabia, said. Pringles is presenting 480 iftar meals and providing access to entertainment areas during Ramadan for the orphans of Ensan at Golden Tulip Hotel in Riyadh and Al-Nawras restaurant in Jeddah for six days. This is to let the orphans enjoy the thrills of fast breaking and play games during the month. It will also provide the orphans an opportunity to interact with their privileged counterparts in the community. A six-a-side football tournament for orphans of 13-16 ages is also being arranged at Al-Raqy Club Stadium in Riyadh and Al-Nojom Stadium in Jeddah in the coming week. The participating orphans will receive all football accessories as well as tools used in professional football matches for the match.

Manufacturers and dealers are also coming up with novel ideas offering attractive discounts during the holy month. Last week, Makkah witnessed for the first time, a Ramadan cooking competition for women organized by Al Aziza marketing agency at Medical Gym under the “Ramadan dishes unite us” slogan, with the support of Samsung Electronics. This comes as part of the Korean electronics giant’s national strategy of corporate social responsibility to involve women across the Kingdom in programs and activities meant for them.

The initiative is to encourage women to cook healthy food at home for their families during the holy month, rather than depend on readymade or previously cooked dishes from outside caterers. The promotion of healthy eating during Ramadan is a vital element as consumers relatively consume much more food in a less span of time. Thus, easily digestible food as part of a healthy lifestyle, especially during the fasting season, is being propagated.

The event, which witnessed strong participation of women, showcased dishes and an educational lecture about the art and benefits of healthy cooking given, followed by a competition for preparing dishes and delicacies, which they cooked at their households and then presented them at the venue. All the dishes were evidently fresh, tasty, home cooked and healthy. Five winners received gifts from Samsung whose Marketing and PR Manager Inamullah Butt said: “This and our other activities are part of our corporate social responsibility and focused at women with a view to encouraging home dining and healthy cooking, especially during Ramadan.”

In yet another move, Samsung is training 200 orphans of Albir Society Jeddah in information technology, communication skills and personality development as part of its CSR activity in Ramadan. They will be trained at the New Horizons Institute, 100 of them including 50 girls in the first six months and another 100 in the next six months. On successful graduation, the toppers will be offered jobs by the Korean company and its partners across the Kingdom.

For the 11th year in a row the National Home Health Care Foundation, Western Province, is hosting its annual Magic Carpet Festival during Ramadan. This year the event is featuring a special addition with the participation of Rubaiyat and the launch of an exclusive auction with eight signature pieces from top designers around the world. “As part of our celebration a number of international designers have presented us with exquisite one of a kind signature pieces to be auctioned off with the proceeds all going for the benefit of patient care programs for the foundation,” said Rubaiyat President Wafaa Abbar.

An “Upgrade your life with LG” has been launched by LG Electronics (LG), another Korean electronics giant, from the first day of Ramadan for 13 days at the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. The booth for the campaign showcasing the range of all LG premium products including health care products, 3D TV, LED Monitors, 3D Notebooks, bluray DVD player, etc, was formally opened by K.W. Kim, LG’s CEO for Middle East and Africa at the mall. “The campaign is meant for consumers who would like to upgrade their lifestyle or present such useful products as Ramadan gifts to their relatives and friends,” said John Lee, managing director of LG Saudi Arabia.

A number of new projects are also being launched during the auspicious month. For instance, the 213-suite Raffles Makkah Palace, a seven-tower community with its four restaurants offering international cuisines located in the new Abraj Al Bait complex, only a few steps from the Grand Mosque in the holy city, performed its soft opening on the first of Ramadan. The design of the hotel draws inspiration from the heritage and culture of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East. “With its unique service and superb accommodation, the hotel, the first from Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, has started serving the pilgrims whose numbers keep swelling during Ramadan,” said Mohammad Arkobi, vice president and GM for Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Makkah.

International airlines are not lagging behind in the race for launching programs and campaigns during the month. Gulf Air has introduced a “lighting up your sky” campaign to celebrate the holy month. The national carrier of Bahrain says the drive will reach out to travelers throughout the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain offering them a chance to win over thousands of prizes during the holy month. “Ramadan promotes the spirit of camaraderie and communion, which ends with the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr,” says Gulf Air Chief Executive Officer Samer Majali.

What better occasion there can be than joining this togetherness and giving the people of the Eastern Province and Bahrain an opportunity to win free tickets on Gulf Air plus 20 percent discount on pre-ordered duty-free goods that passengers can collect onboard. Our loyal Frequent Flyer members can redeem their miles at half-price during the promotion period. This is a great opportunity for those wishing to visit any of the 43 cities that we fly to, for vacation, shopping, visiting friends and relatives, or just relaxation during Ramadan,” Majali says.

Throughout the month, Gulf Air Sky Patrol teams will be visiting coffee shops, Ramadan tents and hotels at certain times, which are listed at gulfair.com/RamadanKareem, facebook or twitter. The team, with Apple iPad devices, will ask the people to fill in their details and a ‘virtual scratch and win’ card given to them. Once they scratch it, their prizes are revealed. The prize details along with terms and conditions are also e-mailed to them immediately. Over 7,000 prizes are waiting to be won in the ‘lighting up your sky’ campaign and winners can complete their travel before Nov. 30, excluding certain dates.