JEDDAH, 16 January 2005 — Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd has donated SR4 million to be spent through international organizations for the benefit of children made orphans as a result of tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia late last month, the company announced here.
The donation came in response to the call for relief aid made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd. A company statement noted that more than 30,000 children were rendered orphans in Indonesia alone as a result of the catastrophe.
Reports coming from Meulaboh, Indonesia, said a group of Saudi businessmen appeared in the remote tsunami-ravaged town yesterday on what they said was a compassionate mission to personally dole out money.
The businessmen gave 100,000 rupiah (roughly $10) notes to every adult survivor in a relief camp and offered 50,000 to children.
“The situation here is bad. We want to help our brothers and sisters,” one of the businessmen, Abdullah Hamid, told AFP.
Abdullah said his group of business friends in Saudi Arabia would also fund the construction of houses for the victims. “My message to the people in Saudi Arabia and all over the world — don’t forget these people. Help them,” he said.
