Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Ramadan is a blessed month of compassion and mercy. Showing kindness to the fellow beings, helping the needy and alleviating the suffering of the distressed are virtues for which God gives rewards in abundance in this holy month.

In the backdrop of this, the mass iftar party and distribution of Ramadan kits at labor camps under the banner of the Jeddah chapter of the Muslim Educational Society (MES), in cooperation with benevolent people and voluntary organizations, gains more relevance. Around 1,000 expatriate workers were the beneficiaries of this noble initiative, sponsored by Mohammed Alungal, president of Abeer Group of Companies and chief patron of Jeddah MES.

Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh was the chief guest at the iftar party held at the premises of the Saudi Glass Factory compound in Jeddah’s industrial city on Sunday. Consuls Anand Kumar and Moin Akhtar were among the dignitaries who joined the workers at their accommodation.

Addressing the attentive workers, who were excited in having inexplicably unique moments in their life, the consul general complimented them for their honesty, sincerity and hard work that made them ideal representatives of India in Saudi Arabia. He urged them to hold fast to work ethics so as to contribute to further improving India’s image in their host nation. Sheikh congratulated MES officials and all those associated with organizing the event as part of their commitment to help their needy fellow beings. He applauded members of MES for their dedication for such a noble cause.

In his presidential speech, K.P. Abdul Salam, president of Jeddah MES, highlighted the charity works being undertaken by the organization in association with prominent figures and community organizations in the city. “It is a unique moment for all of us to bring together around 1,000 ordinary workers at a camp site and infuse in them a feeling of commonness with supportive hands around. MES always stood first for such common causes by serving the community in whatever way we can over the past many years,” he said and thanked the Saudi Glass Factory management as well as the members of MES and volunteers from other social organizations for making the event a resounding success.

He specially thanked Alungal for his humanitarian gesture, saying that his organization believes that this initiative would be a big motivation for others to follow suit.

Consuls Anand Kumar and Moin Akhtar as well as V.K. Rauf, patron of Navodaya Cultural Forum, Gopi Nedungadi, Danish, and Siraj were among those who spoke on the occasion. Salah Karadan, general secretary of Jeddah MES, welcomed the gathering and Saleem Mullaveettil, treasurer, proposed the vote of thanks.

Sreekumar Trivandrum and Hareendranath Kannore were the camp coordinators while the coordinators of the mass iftar and distribution of Ramadan kits included MES Joint Secretary Hyder K.T, Rishad Paramban, Roshan, Jamaluddin, Omi Notani, Wasim Muqaddam, Nizar, and Siyas Impala. Volunteers who participated in the initiative include those from Jeddah Tamil Sangham, and alumni of MES Kuttippuram engineering college.

Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Mohammed Ashraf P.V, convener of MES Supporting Hands initiative and former president of the chapter, explained about the charity initiatives being undertaken by Jeddah MES for the benefit of ordinary workers in the city. He said that more than 300 Ramadan kits have been distributed among the workers. More kits will be distributed in the coming days, he said.

Each kit, costing over SR100, consists of essential food supplies for a person for a month period and the foodstuffs include rice, oil, sugar, lentils, tea, onion and potatoes. The kits were distributed at Al-Aswad Camp in east Jeddah and Electro Décor Camp in the industrial area. Six-year-old Ahmad Ashraf, the youngest volunteer, inaugurated provision of Ramadan kit to the workers.

MES spearheaded several innovative humanitarian initiatives, mainly focusing on making available of drinking water especially to the poor and destitute people. As part of its ambitious ‘Safe Drinking Water Project’, the organization has implemented 15 safe drinking water projects in Kerala and the north Indian state of Jharkand.

The wing of Supporting Hands also took initiative to ameliorate the miserable condition of Rohingya refugees who are living in squalid camps in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh after fleeing their homeland in Myanmar. Apart from making available of 11 bore wells, the organization has distributed 10 tons of food supplies at the Rohingya camps. The initiative was accomplished in cooperation with SG Qurban, a Singapore-based NGO working in the refugee camps, he said. “We still have several well-wishers and our own members, who keep donating wells in memory of their parents or grandparents,” Ashraf added.

CBSE 10 topper honored

Ramsy Raoof, who emerged the topper in Saudi Arabia in the recently announced All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), was honored by the Jeddah chapter of the Muslim Educational Society (MES). Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh presented him memento during the mass iftar gathering held at Saudi Glass Factory premises.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh advised the topper to focus on his goals rather than the marks obtained in the exam. He underscored that students should not be forced to take burden on their head. Sheikh advised parents not to give much pressure on their kids’ education. “Their learning and performance graph may go up and down but do not let them frustrate but focus on enabling them to build a sound personality of a good human being who is always keen to help the community,” he said.

Ramsy, a student of International Indian School Jeddah, secured 98.4 percent of marks with 100 percent in science.