JEDDAH: Rehabilitation and flood relief still continues three weeks after the devastating floods here that rendered thousands of people homeless. A number of volunteers are going out every day for field survey and relief distribution in different districts according to the location of the flood relief charity they are working for. “We are working with the Women Welfare Charity for the flood relief, and we are carrying out survey and help in filling the form for relief. Some volunteers started from Bani Malik because the condition there was worse, but now we have spread to other districts as well,” Alham Ahmed, a volunteer, told Saudi Gazette Sunday. “I am working with 20 other volunteers to survey the flood-hit areas as there are many families needing our help. We are visiting the homes of the families, talking to the women and helping them in completing the application form for the relief materials,” said Ahmed . Ahmed denied any discrimination between Saudis and other nationals. “The relief goods are for all the needy. Expatriates can also come forward if they need help. We have visited a number of expatriate homes affected by the floods. They are poor and need our help.” Volunteers are clearly marking the homes they have visited so as to make others aware that the house has been taken care of, she explained. Around 240 volunteers are working with the Women Welfare Charity. The Ministry of Social Affairs has distributed the relief work among five big charities in the city and also assigned different districts, according to the location of the charities. \The committee of rehabilitation with the cooperation of the committee of construction in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) started reconstructing the affected homes. Sheikh Khalaf Bin Hossan Al-Otabi, chairman of the committee of construction at JCCI, said recently that the committee is providing all assistance in the field of construction for the rehabilitation of damaged homes. “A committee under the supervision of Mazen Batterjee, Vice Chairman of the JCCI, and president of the committee on construction, has been set up to determine the damage to homes and help in refurbishing them,” he said Sheikh Khalaf also said that the committee will provide construction material and capital for construction and refurbishing of the homes under the guidance of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah Region, and follow-up of Prince Misha'l Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, and the cooperation of civil society groups and charities and businessmen and businesswomen. He praised the significant role played by the volunteer teams of young men and women who are fulfilling their social responsibility in a great manner and helping the citizens affected by this disaster to identify their needs and requirements.
