JEDDAH – The biggest charity kitchen in the world is located in the holy sites. Every day, tens of thousands of sheep and goats are slaughtered to serve up to three million meals to pilgrims, besides tons of fresh fruit and millions of tumblers of cold and hot drinks. The large kitchen is well known as “Mabarrat Al-Khair” in Arafat. The SR80 million scheme was built on an area of 18,000 square meters. It has been equipped with high-standard equipment and appliances to provide healthy and tasty meals to pilgrims while they are in the holy sites. Around 800 Saudi, Arab and Asian cooks and laborers are working in the kitchen. Work usually begins in the kitchen after Maghrib prayer on the 8th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. The food is cooked using firewood and the fire continues to blaze until the morning of the 9th day of Dhul Hijja, the Day of Standing in Arafat. The meals are served in packets which include salads and fruits in addition to cold water and juices. The kitchen also provides hot drinks and dates round the clock until the last pilgrim leaves Arafat and Muzdalifah. The meals are distributed by both men and women, as the kitchen has a special section for female workers.
