A conference of charity organizations currently under way in Al-Khobar was told that a major housing project for the poor is soon to begin in the Eastern Province.
Governor of the Eastern Province Prince Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdul Aziz told the conference that the project will construct 2,000 houses for the poor and needy in the region.
Addressing the conference, which opened on Tuesday, Prince Muhammad praised the commendable works of charitable bodies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The conference is attended by representatives of charitable associations in the Eastern Province to discuss prospects for charity works in light of the current constraints facing Islamic charities.
Minister of Labour Dr Ali Al-Namlah said that the number of charitable bodies in the Kingdom is increasing, with 306 currently active in the country, including 25 run by women and 38 operating on a private basis. The combined revenues of these societies exceed SR1.34 billion ($357 million).
In a report published today, Arab News quoted Dr Al-Namlah as saying that the Ministry was keen to ensure that charities operate under strict regulations.
Two years ago the government established the Charitable Fund to Combat Poverty following the visit of Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, to a poor area of Riyadh. The Crown Prince then called for a national strategy to wipe out poverty in the country.
Dr Al-Namlah told the Al-Khobar conference that the fund has now changed its name to the National Charitable Fund and that it is currently implementing five national projects to fight poverty and re-integrate needy families in different parts of the Kingdom.
Source: SPA
