JEDDAH, Feb 1: People from all around the Kingdom have flown to Jeddah to assist volunteers in providing aid to people affected by last week’s floods in the city.
“We are Muslims and we live in the same country. It doesn’t matter how or who. We just have to be united and stand next to each other when one of us is in need,” said Mazen Al-Amro, a volunteer from Riyadh. “The least one can do is to help out on such occasions when one of our neighboring cities is crying for help,” he added.
The Jeddah Center for Forums and Events has been receiving supplies from people in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Dammam and even Bahrain.
Among those at the center was a team of 12 medical students from King Saud University who flew all the way from Riyadh to help out.
“As soon as we finished our exams, we asked the university to support us to help those in Jeddah. The university helped us by giving money to buy tickets and book hotel rooms,” said Nawaf El-Shahwan, the team’s leader.
“We’ve managed to go out into the city. We helped distribute foodstuffs and other supplies to the needy people,” he added.
“We are willing to get our hands muddy and do whatever to help out. We don’t want to specifically be with the medical team. We are ready to clean the streets if we need to,” said El-Shahwan.
There are also people from the Eastern Province. “I came to Jeddah with my sisters and cousins to help out by donating our time and energy to aid our beloved Jeddah,” said Mohammed Jamaan, a volunteer from Alkhobar.
“We were divided into two groups according to gender. The girls are packing and we are loading trucks. I’m pleased at how Jeddah’s youth are so supportive. They do as they are told and ask no questions. This is all for the love of their city,” he added.
Social networking sites and modern technology have played a big role in receiving anonymous donations from outside Jeddah, said Maha Taher, co-founder of the Young Initiative Group, a Jeddah-based welfare organization.
“We keep updating people with our basic needs using Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger. We ask them for supplies and call for volunteers,” she said.
“We’ve received a great deal of donations from all over the Kingdom and I am very proud of my people who donate to people they don’t even know,” she added.