RIYADH, 12 October 2005 — Riyadh Governor Prince Salman has urged businessmen and philanthropists to support the humanitarian activities of the Charitable Society for the Care of Orphans (Insan). “Serving orphans is our Islamic duty,” he stated.
Addressing the charity’s annual fund-raising ceremony at Riyadh InterContinental Hotel late Monday night, Prince Salman said Insan, which was established in 1999, had spent SR130 million for the welfare of more than 14,700 orphans during the past six years.
“The society provides moral and material support to orphans in order to help them stand on their feet,” said Prince Salman, who is chairman of the charity. “We also found jobs for 500 male and female orphans last year after providing them with necessary training,” he explained.
The governor gave awards to 35 businessmen and four charitable organizations which support the society and its humanitarian projects. Prince Salman later donated SR2 million to the society.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the grand mufti, gave a speech commending the society’s activities. He emphasized the importance in Islam of taking care of orphans and protecting their rights. “We should not only take care of their living requirements but also bring them up to have good morals,” he said.
Upon his arrival at the hotel, Prince Salman was received by Prince Faisal ibn Salman, chairman of Saudi Research & Marketing Group and chairman of the Resource Development Committee.
Hamoud ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Badr, secretary-general of the foundation, thanked Prince Salman for coming, noting that the governor had been supportive of the charity since its foundation.
Al-Badr mentioned in his speech the society’s achievements over the past several years in looking after orphans. The number of orphans benefiting from the society’s services is 14,758. He said the orphans are supported while living with their relatives as donations are given out to them — amounting to 3,152 families.
Saleh Al-Yousef, director general of Insan, said the society was a specialized one to care for Saudi orphans in Riyadh and support them as they live in their homes with their relatives. He said that this kind of caring was best since it provided the child with financial and emotional needs while living with relatives who love them.
Al-Yousef said that the society supports the orphans primarily in three ways:
1. Periodical donations. These are what is given to the orphan on a monthly basis. They include foodstuffs, money and clothing. The society takes into consideration the feelings of relatives when they are summoned to receive money from the society so it has a new method of providing the family with an electronic ATM card and depositing the money for the child. Coupons are also given out to families for shopping in commercial centers. The annual amount spent on this program is SR2.5 million.
2. Emergency donations. Money is given to pay rent, buy furniture, pay public utility bills or buy home appliances which are necessary for family life. A special team evaluates the family’s needs and estimates what is needed. More than SR5 million was spent on this program last year.
3. Seasonal donations. Things that occur at different times of the year - buying school materials, distributing meat during Haj, buying Eid gifts and paying the costs of performing Umrah and Haj for orphans and widows. Nearly SR2 million was spent on this program last year.
The charity also provides educational, social and psychological support by visiting the orphans at home and asking about their needs. It also coordinates with public and private sectors on behalf of the orphans. The society rehabilitates, trains and employs orphans. Some SR1.4 million was spent last year on this program and 500 male and female orphans benefited from it.
