Saudi youth volunteers help ease Haj for pilgrims with cold drinks

With the participation of 25 young Saudi volunteers from Riyadh, Makkah and Jeddah, a Saudi team distributed 150,000 water and juice cans besides other relief work like spraying cold water on pilgrims exposed to high temperature during this year’s Haj. 

The team leader of the group “Youth are the nation’s good asset” said that such voluntary work was the first of its kind which started in Arafat and Muzdalifah.
According to Osman Hashim, team leader, the team had initially extracted the necessary permits from the concerned authorities including entry permits to Arafat. They were also required to get permit for distribution among pilgrims in Makkah.

“We had to travel from Riyadh to Makkah by land for the distribution of those drinks ourselves as part of voluntary work for the service of pilgrims,” Hashim said.
The supply began before dawn on the day of Arafat and continued until the first day of Eid Al-Adha through 30 continuous working hours on the night of Arafat despite the heat, hunger and thirst. “It was a great effort for the team,” he said, noting that the distribution was not random.
The supply was stored in two trucks situated on the way to Muzdalifah and Arafat. They had to split into several groups to reach passing pilgrims and others for distribution in nearby camps.

He said two teams remained inside cold stores for direct distribution to the pilgrims by hand. The team had two trucks available for carrying the supply.
Hisham said that their work was not confined to the water distribution. 
“We extended warm welcome and reminded them about the rituals to be conducted at Arafat,” he observed.
“They are our guests and we feel honored to serve them. They will carry with them a good image of the Kingdom and its people when they go back to their country,” he concluded.