Saudi volunteers help expats

JEDDAH: The “Mobadirun” forum has launched its “Khaleek Makani” (Stay Where I Am) initiative as part of a series of volunteer programs during Ramadan.
The programs aim to create awareness and a spirit of cooperation among different members of society. The plan comprises 30 different volunteer efforts during Ramadan in partnership with Dallah Academy and MBC-FM radio.
The programs target one specific group — the expats who work hard during Ramadan. The programs want to improve the image of the community in their eyes.
One volunteer, Amjad Al-Kherma, moved from his job at the Saudi Electricity Company to work at a gas station in place of an Indian employee Shafiqur Rahman. As part of this role, Amjad and his fellow volunteers must work during the day while fasting.
Majid Al-Mezain, programs and training manager at Dallah Academy, said these initiatives play an important role in spreading the spirit of cooperation between different groups in society, and help volunteers gain insight into the experiences of those whose jobs require strenuous physical work and activities.
“The initiative, held in three major cities, allowed young Saudi volunteers to not only interact with employees working as street cleaners and mechanics, but also provided the employees the rare chance to take a rest from their demanding duties,” he said.
Al-Mezain said the highly successful and welcomed initiative can be generalized and reproduced by other groups to the benefit of the community due to its simple means of application.
Other volunteer initiatives and activities which will be aired live on the radio include cleaning of mosques, visiting homes for the elderly and orphans, cleaning walls, distributing water to mosques for iftar, preparing food baskets for poor families, and launching an awareness campaign at a local mall.