Riyadh AI, drone exhibition to focus on agriculture
The event will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
It will display drone technology, robotics and AI, facilitating networking for startups and established companies
Updated 41 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The inaugural Saudi Arabia AI and Drone Exhibition and Forum will take place from Nov. 4 to 6 at the Arena Riyadh Venue, with a focus on the rapid growth of drones and artificial intelligence in agriculture.
The event will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and supported by the World UAV Federation.
This forum aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy and achieve sustainability, positioning the country as a key regional hub for this industry.
It will display drone technology, robotics and AI, facilitating networking for startups and established companies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event will feature workshops and seminars on the latest developments in agriculture, transport and logistics.
With more than 50 local and international brands participating, the exhibition will be a vital platform for attracting investors, distributors, suppliers and solution providers in the global drone industry.
Initiative boosts skills for rural women in small, medium enterprises
The program focuses on capacity building in sustainable development areas like agriculture and crafts
Updated 51 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The Reef National Foundation has launched an initiative to empower rural women by enhancing their skills in managing small and medium enterprises and improving product quality to meet local market demands.
The program focuses on capacity building in sustainable development areas like agriculture and crafts, and providing essential equipment to improve rural business operations.
It is part of a broader effort by the foundation to promote sustainable rural development across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Reef Saudi last week celebrated the International Day of Rural Women which reinforced efforts to empower rural women and productive families in the labor market.
Reef Saudi spokesperson Majid Al-Buraikan stressed the importance of rural women as a valuable resource for various activities and projects.
He spoke of ongoing efforts to create job opportunities, equip women with essential skills, and improve their economic and living conditions for financial sustainability.
KSrelief continues food aid distribution across several countries
Updated 20 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency, KSrelief, has continued to provide food assistance to vulnerable communities in Syria, Lebanon, Sudan and Pakistan.
In Syria, the agency distributed 888 food baskets and 888 hygiene kits on Friday in the town of Salqin, located in the Harem district of Idlib Governorate. This initiative benefited 5,328 individuals.
In South Sudan, KSrelief handed out food aid to displaced persons in the Equatoria Region, benefiting 2,500 families.
KSrelief provides food assistance to 2,500 families in South Sudan
In Lebanon, the agency implement the fourth phase of its Bakery Project in the Akkar Governorate and Miniyeh District.
Last week, the project distributed 175,000 bundles of bread to needy families, including Syrians, Palestinians, and members of the host community, benefiting a total of 12,500 families in North Lebanon.
In Pakistan, KSrelief distributed 1,500 shelter bags on Friday in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
These bags benefited 10,500 individuals from the most vulnerable families in flood-affected areas.
KSrelief provides medical assistance in Lebanon, Jordan
Updated 20 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency, KSrelief, funded medical services in northern Lebanon and Jordan earlier this month, state news agency SPA reported.
The ambulance service of Miniyeh District, along with the Souboul Al-Salam Relief Team in North Lebanon, conducted 83 emergency medical missions from Oct. 4 to 10 with KSrelief’s support.
The services included transferring patients to and from hospitals and providing emergency assistance to traffic accident victims in Miniyeh.
In Jordan, KSrelief provided medical services to 2,605 patients at the Zaatari Refugee Camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan during the first week of October.
Riyadh Season 2024 to empower entrepreneurs and productive families
Initiative is part of the collaborative efforts among government entities to support the local economy
Updated 20 October 2024
Arab News
Riyadh: Riyadh Season will allocate sales outlets in key locations this year to productive families and entrepreneurs during major events, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The General Entertainment Authority and the Social Development Bank signed a cooperation agreement that will organize the participation of productive families and entrepreneurs, and allocate sales outlets in key locations throughout Boulevard World.
The agreement signed between the chairman of the GEA, Turki Al-Sheikh, and the CEO of the Social Development Bank, Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Humaidi, aims to empower the targeted groups by providing logistical and organizational support while highlighting Saudi products.
This initiative is part of collaborative efforts by government entities to support the local economy and achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by enhancing local content and supporting the growth and sustainability of the entertainment sector.
Saudi stray animals find unlikely homes in far-flung Philippines
Improvement in Kingdom’s care for strays complies with Vision 2030, says animal welfare official
Updated 19 October 2024
Marco Ferrari
RIYADH: Stray cats and dogs in Saudi Arabia are finding unlikely homes more than 8,000 km away in the Philippines thanks to a network of dedicated volunteers.
The sizable number of Filipino expatriates in the Kingdom are using their connections back home, aided by social media, to find suitable adopters in the Asian archipelago.
Physical therapist Virginia Alindayo is one such expatriate. She spoke to Arab News about how she has found homes for more than 50 cats and dogs, often transporting them to the Philippines herself.
Doris Bolla and her adopted dog skye in the Philippines. (Supplied)
“It makes me happy. It’s the only life that I want to live, as of now,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to do something like this, and it really makes me happy.”
Alindayo lives in the remote town of Rafha, a nine-hour drive from capital, Riyadh. Her dedication to animal welfare is so devout that she once took 12 cats from Rafha to Riyadh, before boarding a flight with them to the Philippines.
Another time, she managed to find homes for another 12 cats in the US. She again flew them across the world herself. “It was very easy,” she said.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Physical therapist Virginia Alindayo spoke to Arab News about how she has found homes for more than 50 cats and dogs.
• Saudi Society for Animal Welfare has almost 1,000 members who not only feed, rehome and neuter stray animals, but also offer their professional help free-of-charge.
• Lawyers who joined the association, for example, help to prosecute cases of animal cruelty in Saudi Arabia.
Alindayo first started her rehoming campaign in 2020 after her own pet cat went missing. In trying to find the cat, she came across several animal welfare groups on Facebook, including Aramina’s Pet Travel, Pawssionate Pet Lovers and Mission Pawsible.
She found her cat, and using the educational resources from the online groups, decided to take up the cause of helping stray animals.
Virginia Alindayo's rescued puppies in Saudi Arabia, waiting to find new homes. (Supplied)
Often paying out of her own pocket for vaccinations, paperwork and airfares, she is also supported by generous donors online.
But still, her love for animals has taken a financial toll. “I’m planning to neuter at least 20 cats. And you know what? I’m even planning to take out a loan for this … I have to do something about it. Otherwise, I’ll just close my eyes and never feed all these cats.”
Saeed Jazzar, vice chairman of the Saudi Society for Animal Welfare, or Refq, said that despite fast-changing attitudes among the public, stray animals in Saudi Arabia remain a problem.
“It’s a national issue, honestly, and part of it is done because people buy animals and then they turn them loose. They don’t want them, and those animals are still breeding.”
As of yet, there is no nationwide trap-neuter-release program — believed by many to be the most ethical method of dealing with strays.
“The level of education now in Saudi Arabia is a lot higher than it was 10 years ago, and 10 years ago it was better than it was 30 years ago,” Jazzar said.
“We see the society complying with these things, and part of that comes from Islam also, but it was totally ignored back then. What we see now is an improvement, honestly, and it complies with Vision 2030.”
Refq has almost 1,000 members — mostly volunteers — who not only feed, rehome and neuter stray animals, but also offer their professional help free-of-charge.
Lawyers who joined the association, for example, help to prosecute cases of animal cruelty in Saudi Arabia, including a shocking case that involved giraffes being kept in enclosures too small for them to fully straighten their necks.
Two of the giraffes died from their injuries, but Refq rescued the rest.
In another case, the society shut down a circus in Riyadh that was keeping horses out in direct sunlight without proper shelter.
As well as lawyers, Refq has engineers who use their expertise to design animal shelters for the society.
For Jazzar and Refq, there is still much work to be done to improve the situation of stray animals in the country.
But even so, any act of kindness can have its benefits.
Describing how some members spend upward of SR40,000 ($10,650) every year feeding stray animals, Jazzar said: “It’s like you’re throwing your money on the street, but in reality, you’re doing yourself good by helping other creatures that were mentioned in the Qur’an.
“If you help any living soul, it’s rewarded by Allah.”
