Youth distribute food among the needy

For the fourth year running, the Young Initiative Group (YIG) has been carrying out a Ramadan initiative that revolves around distributing iftar meals to the less fortunate across Jeddah.
Young Initiative Group (YIG) is a Jeddah-based volunteer group that has been implementing Ramadan projects, which include providing iftar meals. The group gathers volunteers, chooses the areas where the distribution is to take place and collects food donations from companies, restaurants, kitchens and factories in Jeddah.
Iftar Sayem 4 is a YIG project, which is held and run by volunteers. The project has continued due to its success for the last three years. This year, the group is armed with double the number of volunteers and food supplies.
YIG co-founder Muhammad Al-Bakri said: “By connecting with different members of your community, you generate a new perspective and garner appreciation for your own blessings. More importantly, you start realizing the many ways by which you can add value to members living in poorer communities simply by utilizing the blessings you already enjoy on a daily basis. While the main goal of Iftar Sayem is to share our blessings with the greater community, our greater goal is connect the different facets of our community together so we can generate empathy between the different members of our community.”
Iftar Sayem began with merely five volunteers back in August 2010 distributing 300 meals in only three districts. “Now, we are a team of 80 volunteers from all walks of life, covering more than 7 districts with more than 3000 meals on a daily basis,” said Al-Bakri.
According to co-founder Durnaz Balooshi, one of the best aspects of Iftar Sayem 4 is the enthusiasm of the volunteers, which begins two months before Ramandan. Many of the volunteers study abroad but they were there on the first day to distribute pre-dusk meals. “We’ve seen volunteers leading the distribution teams this year. Areas such as Garayat, Karentina, Balad, Ruwais, Jamaa District, Faisaliya Rebat in Makrona and Gulail. In addition, 150 Baladiya workers were covered,” she said. “The teams were lead by Ahmed Kamal, Faris Hamwi, Mohamed Aman, Motaz Sobh, Nour El Haj, Osama AbdulKader, Lina Tahlawi and Maaz Ahmed, along with 60-70 volunteers daily distributing about 3000 meals a day. At times, we distribute up to 3500 meals,” she added.
The volunteers take their part very seriously. Their main aim is to distribute food on time. “This year, food was sponsored by Bassmat Albadr Charity, Tazaj, Hot & Crispy, Roody’s, Jimmy Sandwiches, friends and family, and one of our co-founders grandfather,” said Balooshi. “The highlight of this year for me is we had children from age 4 to 12 helping us in packing. As YIG volunteers, we are very lucky because we get the chance to give back to society,” she added.
This year, YIG decided to be involved in more than one project to promote their project and to help more people. One of these projects is the Ramadan Arzag Boxes Distribution – Joint collaboration between YIG, Arabian Treks and Jeddah Jeepers. “Arabian Treks for Adventures and Jeddah Jeepers cover the logistics part while YIG provides the Arzag Boxes and the volunteering experience. Successfully, we were able to distribute 110 Boxes plus 200 Boxes of Water. Every box can satisfy a family of 5 people for the whole month of Ramadan. The villages we have visited are mainly Widows and orphans, where their husbands used to work in Jeddah, and sadly, passed away on the road,” said co-founder of YIG Adham Attar. “Total number of cars are 19 cars, fully equipped with walkie talkies to stay in touch, water tank, navigation systems with total number 40 volunteers,” he added.
The box consists of two kg of rice, 2 kg of wheat, 450 grams of oats, 1800 grams of milk powder, 5 bags of pasta, 8 packs of tomato paste, 2 big bottles of cooking oil, juice powder, 450 grams of tea, 1 kg of sugar, 1 salt and honey.
According to YIG co-founder Mohamad Soboh, YIG is currently collaborating on an unconventional project with “The Loft ME” to promote the honesty and trustworthiness of the people. “Stay tuned for its release,” he said.
Twenty-one-year-old Mohammad Aman began as an enthusiastic volunteer who participated in Iftar Sayem starting from the second year and he is now a team leader in the Karantina area of south Jeddah. “My team and I were already friends even before we started volunteering and I became a team leader because I usually help in organizing the area,” he said. “I usually have 22 or 23 volunteers a day and distribute 400 hot meals, 200 cold meals and 400 sandwiches, which means we distribute 1000 meals a day in this area,” he added.
Aman said he gained real life experience from being a leader just by organizing a team and drawing the distribution plan. “YIG has taught me a lot and it is for this reason that I always make sure I participate in every project. I don’t only go to Karantina in Ramadan. I made friends with some of the residents in this area whom I visit sporadically,” he said.
The group also expanded their volunteer work and visited women’s shelters and orphanages, where they donated iftar and introduced themselves. They also documented the status and needs of these homes to be able to spread the word and help them with whatever they can.
First-time volunteer Abdulrahman Shata says volunteering gives you a sort of satisfaction that makes you want to continue. “When I first heard from my cousin, I thought it would be crowded and chaotic but I decided to go and try it at least once and I was very happy with the arrangement and how well-organized the volunteers are,” he said. “I also thought I would regret being there in the summer heat but I forgot about this once I saw people standing in lines humbly waiting for their turns to pick up their meal,” he added.
The volunteers are divided into three groups, the first distributing to men, the second women and the last children. “The givers are as organized as the receivers. As soon as we arrive in our jeeps, we find them standing in lines waiting for us and waiting to take their hot meals home,” said Shata. “I began going every day because its something that nourished my soul and kept me wanting more. The smiles on their faces when you give them their meal is priceless and I’m very happy knowing I’m part of the reason they are smiling,” he added.