JEDDAH: A number of young Saudis have decided to work in collaboration with the Jeddah Municipality to design, plant and beautify some 800 public parks left unattended around the city.
Hashim Daghestani, a 20-year-old college student, launched the action plan along with other volunteers who are members of the Yallah Jeddah group, which he said is one of the first organized volunteer groups in the city.
The group, which has a site at www.facebook.com, was organized seven years ago and has about 5,000 registered members.
Daghestani said he and his friends contacted the municipality several months ago to discuss the project, which was well received by the city officials.
He said the municipality has given them the green light to go ahead with the project and has assured them all logistic support.
Daghestani noted that the Yallah Jeddah group has called on all volunteers who have some interest and skills in landscaping, gardening and irrigation to contribute to the project. “All the parks will be designed by the youths who will give them an appealing, modern look,” he said.
So far the group has managed to enlist the support of 250 volunteers, both boys and girls, for the project.
“We will launch the project in a few weeks with these volunteers. The door is open for everyone who can help out in carrying out this highly important social responsibility,” he said.
He noted that the municipality would provide plants and flowers from its various nurseries, in addition to construction material and workers.
“In the beginning we would hold a training course for the participants about basic methods of gardening in order to have a fresh start,” he said.
Daghestani said the volunteers would split into several groups to work in different locations in order to cover as many parks as possible within a short time.
“Only 70 public parks around the city are green and suitable for visitors; the rest are just empty, barren lands. Our goal is to fill all those 800 parks with greenery in such a way that the Bride of the Red Sea will have a new image,” he said.
