January 7, 2005

226 YEMENI HANDICAPPED BENEFIT FROM A Y.R. 50 MILLION GRANT PRESENTED BY PRINCE SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ. PRINCE SALMAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ PRIVIDES FULL SUPPORT FOR THE REHABILITATION EFFORTS FOR DISABLED CHILDREN AND URGES EXPERTS, INDIVIDUALS, INSTITUTIONS AND RESEARCH CENTERS TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS AND TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER TO INTEGRATE THE DISABLED SEGMENT INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SAUDI SOCIETY. As many as 226 handicapped Yemenis from various societies benefit from Y.R. 50 million grant presented by Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, it was announced. The Head of Yemeni Organization for Humanitarian Services Farid Iskandar pointed out that the grant includes 175 motorized wheelchairs, 40 crutches and other equipment for the handicapped, noting that a Saudi medical team has arrived in Yemen to diagnose and study the cases worthy of the grant. On the other hand legendary Saudi charitable disposition was in evidence when the Disabled Children Association (DCA) netted SR16.7 million in just one hour for a major endowment project whose income will be utilized to offset the budgetary shortfall of DCA and Prince Salman Center for Disability Research (PSCDR). The donors' meeting, chaired by Riyadh Governor Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, was also attended by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. In his speech at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh region called on businessmen to donate generously to the "DCA's Business Oasis" project to be built at a cost of SR70 million. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, on his part, assured full support for the project and for all rehabilitation efforts for disabled children. He urged experts, individuals, institutions and research centers "to intensify efforts and to cooperate with each other to integrate the disabled segment into the mainstream of Saudi society". This donors' meeting was also attended by several members of the royal family, ministers and leading businessmen including Dr. Saleh Al-Sheikh, minister of Islamic affairs and Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy, RCCI chairman. Prince Salman himself donated SR2 million for DCA's business center project. A new website in Arabic was also launched by Prince Salman, who went around the exhibition of photographs of the Business Oasis project. The governor also presented plaques of appreciation to a number of businessmen and philanthropists. Asked about the details of the DCA Business Oasis project, Prince Sultan Ibn Salman, chairman of the DCA Board of Trustees, said that "this is a ground-breaking project within the framework of the policies of the DCA, which is building several endowment projects around the country". "This business center, the first of its kind in the Middle East, will be located in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh," said Prince Sultan, adding that "we are raising money for the project". "In fact, we have already raised a total of SR40 million for the project so far," said the prince. He said "the income generated from the project will be used for disabled children". The project will have commercial suites and other business-related facilities, which will be rented out for raising funds for the handicapped children. According to a survey, there are about one million Saudis including children suffering from various types of disabilities. The DCA under the supervision of Prince Sultan has already opened four rehabilitation facilities in Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah and Al-Jouf, where a large number of children have been admitted for treatment and therapy. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, had patronized the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the charitable endowment project 'Businesses Oasis', which was organised by the Society for Handicapped Children. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Salman was received by Prince Sultan Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Society's Board of Directors, and other officials. Prince Salman unveiled the memorial plaque for the project, and was briefed on its programs. Prince Salman delivered a speech, in which he expressed his appreciation for the work of charitable societies, such as the Society for Handicapped Children, which provide resources and operate investment projects to support the welfare services, in addition to implementing projects with the contributions of philanthropists. At the speech ceremony, it was announced that Prince Salman contributed SR1 million to the charity, and Prince Sultan Ibn Salman donated a plot of land worth SR2 million. The ceremony was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for Petroleum Affairs, and other princes and officials. Addressing the event, Dr. Al-Namlah thanked the attendance and supporters of the festival encompassing individuals, societies, companies and establishments for the efforts exerted in the field of charitable actions. The event was attended by Prince Faisal Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Secretary General of Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz Charitable Foundation, other princes, ministers and officials. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Dr. Ali Al-Namla, had said that the participants of the 3-day event will review a number of topics pertaining to disability including the preventive measures against disability. Dr. Al-Namla hailed the great efforts being exerted by the state for the service of the handicapped, and said the number of the handicapped centres throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reached 26 in addition to 12 centres for the rehabilitation of the handicapped. On the other hand a conference of charity organizations under way in the city of Al Khobar was told the Eastern Province would soon witness the launch of a major housing project to provide homes for the poor. Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad Ibn Fahd told the gathering that under the project 2,000 houses will be built for the poor and needy in the region. Addressing the conference which opened in Al Khobar, Prince Muhammad praised charity bodies in the Kingdom saying they were doing a commendable job to the satisfaction of everyone in the country. The conference is being attended by representatives of philanthropic associations from all over the Eastern Province to discuss the prospects for charity work in light of the constraints facing Islamic charities under the prevailing conditions. Minister of Labor Dr. Ali Al-Namlah said the number of charity bodies in the Kingdom was on the rise and that 306 such organizations are currently active in the country including 25 run by women and 38 operating on a private basis. The combined revenues of these societies exceed SR1.34 billion ($357 million). He described the road to charity as a long and extremely difficult one but appeared upbeat about the public and private support that charity organizations continue to receive. He said the ministry was keen on ensuring that charities operate under strict regulations and would not allow charity work to be infiltrated by some having underlying purposes. In a move intended to streamline Saudi charities abroad, the government last year dissolved Al-Haramain Foundation, which has been accused by the United States of funding terrorism. The management of the foundation was asked to close its doors, shut down its foreign offices and dismiss its personnel, who at one point numbered 5,000, most of them volunteers, working to assist the poor all over the world. Al-Haramain figured among a number of Muslim charities accused of financing terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The foundation and other private groups that have been dissolved had their international operations and assets folded into a new body named the Saudi National Commission for Charitable Work Abroad. Saudi officials said the commission would be subject to strict financial legal oversight, and will operate according to clear policies to ensure that charitable funds intended to help the needy are not misused. Two years ago the government set up the Charitable Fund to Combat Poverty following the visit of Crown Prince Abdullah to a slum area in Riyadh when he called for a national strategy to wipe out poverty in the country. Dr. Al-Namlah told the Al Khobar conference that the fund has now changed its name to National Charitable Fund and that it is currently implementing five national projects to fight poverty and reintegrate needy families in different parts of the Kingdom. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region and the Chairman of Board of Directors of the Insan Society for Orphans' Welfare had also patronized a ceremony for the establishment of a charity endowment whose revenue will be donated to Insan Society. Upon arrival at the venue, Prince Salman was received by Prince Faisal Ibn Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Society's Development Committee of Resources; Minister of Social Affairs Dr Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Namlah; and Dr Hamoud Al-Badr, Secretary General of the Shoura Council and Secretary General of Insan Society. Prince Salman was accompanied by a number of princes. In an address on the occasion, Dr Hamoud Al-Badr said that there are 250 charitable societies in the Kingdom, which take care of 11,738 male and female orphans. Insan Society implements projects for the welfare of orphans, he said. Attendees watched a documentary about the charity endowment, which will be a nine-storey building established on King Fahd Road, on a 2,255 square-metre area of land at a total cost of SR32 million. The Kingdom's General Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh, who is also Chairman of the Commission of Senior Ulema (Muslim scholars) and the Department of Religious Research and Ifta, delivered a speech at the ceremony in which he explained the rights of orphans in Islam and urged Muslims to make generous donations to Insan Society. Prince Salman announced the opening of the donations campaign, making a personal donation of SR1 million and a further SR1 million on behalf of his sons and grandsons. Prince Salman delivered a speech in which he said that the government dedicates determined efforts to orphans' welfare, and it is also the responsibility of the Muslim community to do so. A number of donations were then announced by princes, officials and citizens.