Volunteering during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia helps those in need

JEDDAH: Since the start of Ramadan, charities, mosques, restaurants, charitable organizations, and young volunteers across Saudi Arabia have come together to make a significant difference in the lives of those in need.

Volunteering activities typically peak in the weeks leading up to Ramadan, with a variety of initiatives taking place across the country.

“Every Ramadan, we are proud to see citizens and residents in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Tabuk, Hail, Najran, Qassim, and other cities across Saudi Arabia come forward to volunteer, demonstrating a spirit of giving and solidarity during this holy month. People’s dedication and kindness are a true reflection of Saudi Arabia’s values,” Sheikh Mansoor Al-Sharif, Imam of Al-Tawhid Mosque in Jeddah, told Arab News.

Al-Sharif emphasized the spiritual essence of volunteering, saying: “Volunteering in Ramadan is not only about helping those in need, but also about demonstrating unity within communities.”

He noted a tremendous increase in community participation in recent years. “Volunteering is on the rise, with people from all walks of life donating their time and resources to promote social solidarity, especially during Ramadan.”

For the Jeddah Volunteer Group, local volunteers go to low-income areas to distribute food.

Supervisor Ahmed Al-Hamdan told Arab News that the Iftar project is one of the group’s most important Ramadan initiatives.

He said the program aims to strengthen social solidarity and ease the burden on needy families. He also said that every day during Ramadan, more than 100 volunteers visit different Iftar locations until the afternoon Asr prayer.

They prepare a special meal consisting of water, dates, and rice, and then distribute the food by hand. For many, the reward of helping those in need motivates them to participate in volunteer campaigns.

It’s becoming a duty for volunteer Noura Abdulaziz, who has been involved in such initiatives for the past two years.

She said: “I dedicate myself to this work because it’s the month of giving, and it’s our duty to help during this special month. I truly enjoy every moment of it.”

She explained that she sacrificed her time with her family to provide food to those in need.

She said, “I rarely eat Iftar with my family, but they don’t complain because they understand the greater purpose.”

Fulfilling its annual commitment to community service under the slogan “Ramadan Kareem,” Kayani Event Management launched its annual “Iftar for the Fasting” campaign in the heart of Al-Balad district (Historic Jeddah) for the fifth consecutive year, fostering an atmosphere of social unity in the Old City.

The goal was to deliver Iftar meals to needy families and charitable organizations in the area, further strengthening the spirit of kindness that is evident during this holy month.

Kayani CEO Rana Bajouda told Arab News: “Continuing this work for the fifth year reaffirms our commitment to our neighbors and our people in Jeddah, and we believe that giving is the true engine of any organization’s success.”

From individual actions to organized government efforts, the General Directorate of Education in the Makkah Region launched a major community initiative to provide Iftar meals for fasting people at the Holy Mosque, aiming to distribute meals to 5,000 people daily during the holy month of Ramadan.

Behind this initiative is a team of 500 volunteers from the education sector, working shoulder to shoulder in an atmosphere of trust that reflects a spirit of solidarity and clearly demonstrates the education sector’s leading community role in serving those visiting the Grand Mosque.