(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Nov 16 (KUNA) -- Kuwait continued its humanitarian efforts throughout the week, helping desperate, needy, and helpless people around the world through several relief, aid, and social programs, campaigns, and activities.
Kuwait's Rahma International Society, an affiliate of Social Reform Society (Eslah), organized on Sunday a mass wedding for Syrian refugees in Jordan.
The event was part of the Kuwaiti charity's projects to support the refugees' humanitarian conditions in the region, Waleed Al-Swailem, head of Rahma International's branches in Syrian and Jordan, told KUNA.
"This mass marriage is Rahma's fourth project organized in cooperation with Sana Al-Khair Charitable Society, a Kuwaiti-based women voluntary team," Al-Swailem noted.
The number of marriages in this project has amounted to 10 for male/female youngsters, most of whom were orphans, he added.
The Kuwaiti charity was keen to officiate such matrimonial ceremonies, especially for people who live in desperate situations, to help them achieve emotional stability and facilitate their integration into society, affirmed Al-Swailem.
Rahma follows a particular strategy in its charitable work, with the aid of Kuwaiti philanthropists, consisting of backing relief, social, educational, health, and humanitarian activities, in general, to achieve better living condition for the affected and weak, he said.
For their part, a number of newly wed young couple praised, in separate statements to KUNA, the Kuwaiti people's initiative to help them get married and support their family lives amid "harsh" and "difficult" living conditions that most premarital refugees face.
The mass wedding was held at one of Amman's wedding halls under auspices and attendance of Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Aziz Al-Daihani, officials of Rahma's branch in Jordan, and Sana Al-Khair team.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) kicked off on Sunday its annual campaign, tagged "Winter Clothing", by distributing 236 winter clothing coupons, including blankets and heaters, to 236 needy families inside Kuwait.
The winter clothes are being handed to KRCS-registered families in order to alleviate their suffering and help them as well, Meriam Al-Adsani, director of local aid department at the society, stated to reporters on the sidelines of the distribution process.
KRCS handed the vouchers for buying winter clothes in cooperation with one of the commercial markets, Al-Adsani noted, affirming the importance of supporting needy families in facing the burdens of life responsibility.
She affirmed KRCS' constant keenness to back activities and programs that contribute to serving the society and helping needy families, adding such humanitarian actions reinforce the principle of joint constructive benevolence and cooperation, and the value of social partnership and national strategy.
KRCS takes into consideration support and aid to needy families, Al-Adsani noted, adding it targets them at all occasions with various assistances, particularly during religious and national festivals, winter seasons, and the holy month of Ramadan.
She called on philanthropists to donate to the winter clothing campaign through the various available KRCS' donation channels, including the society's headquarters and website.
Al-Adsani also praised all philanthropists, including individuals and private sectors, for their renewed trust in KRCS each year, adding such a campaign has great importance and positive impact on the feeling of needy ones, especially with advent of winter season.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross Bernt Apeland praised on Monday Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) regional and international efforts, as well as its partnerships with humanitarian societies and organizations.
Boosting humanitarian initiatives and enhancing development projects contributed to strengthen Kuwait's status and hoist its humanitarian banner high on regional and international levels, Apeland told KUNA after meeting with KRCS' Chairman Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer and his accompanying delegation.
Kuwait's humanitarian benevolence has also contributed in highlighting its presence, through His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti government and people, at regional and international arenas.
Apeland stressed the importance of consolidating all efforts toward promising and unique partnership to support relief and humanitarian action, pointing out an initiative to launch an e-donate platform for national societies.
The humanitarian action has become a communication bridge among people who face painful humanitarian circumstances, he said, affirming the importance of effective partnerships, among world national societies, in responding to the humanitarian duty.
Al-Sayer, in turn, said boosting partnership, exchanging information, coordinating efforts, and benefiting from humanitarian organizations' expertise and strategies became a main requirement, recalling the current humanitarian situations in Yemen, Syria, Somalia, and Sudan.
KRCS' strategy stems from its constant urge to form partnerships with others in more professional and vital manner, said Al-Sayer.
Some of KRCS' current partnerships with world national societies, notably the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), reflect and bolster the concept of partnership in several of its humanitarian projects.
He also said that the ongoing deterioration of humanitarian situations worldwide requires collective humanitarian efforts and real humanitarian partnerships that enhance humanitarian action.
Since its beginning and development in Kuwait, the humanitarian action has become a main base for the country's principles and policies through its various government and public institutions that operate development, humanitarian, and relief projects in various world countries, said Al-Sayer.
In the meantime, Chairman of Kuwait's National Diwan for Human Rights Ambassador Jassim Al-Mubarki underlined on Monday the Diwan's role in protecting freedoms and rights of people.
The Diwan's work is part of Kuwait's continuous humanitarian efforts around the world, Al-Mubarki told KUNA on the sidelines of his visit to Qatar.
The Diwan also visits prisons and shelters to monitor human rights and organize seminars to promote the implementation of human rights agreements, as well as bring awareness to society on this matter, he noted.
He also said his GCC tour aims at sharing experience and boost cooperation in the human rights field, affirming his country's eagerness to implement other Gulf States' experience in the field.
Moreover, the ambassador said the Diwan consists of six committees concerned with topics including human trafficking, women, special needs people, complaints, civil and political rights and children.
Also on Monday, Kuwait renewed its stance on continuing to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), embodied last year with a contribution of USD 50 million.
This was brought up during a speech by Kuwait at the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee (C4), delivered by Diplomatic Attache Ahmad Al-Duweesh.
Kuwait provided UNRWA with an additional donation of USD five million during the current year, Al-Duweesh pointed out.
He deeply appreciated all UNRWA members for their strenuous efforts despite the circumstances they were going through.
Al-Duweesh commended them for harnessing all available means to provide the necessary services to over 5.5 million Palestinian refugees across its five fields of operation.
They believe in the solid foundations of Kuwait's foreign policy in supporting humanitarian issues and the pivotal role played by UNRWA, renewing its mandate for another three years, he said.
He stressed continuing to support UNRWA due to the positive indicators contained in the report of UNRWA's former Commissioner-General, including the support by Kuwait when UNRWA faced the most serious financial crisis in 2018 going from USD 446 million to zero, and the financial discipline, which resulted in financial savings estimated at USD 500 million in the past years.
The information received regarding the financial constraints resulted in 50 students per semester and 100 daily patient visits to each doctor, making them more determined to continue the support, he said.
Al-Duweesh said that the support would contribute to upgrading educational, health and relief services, along with providing basic needs for Palestinian refugees.
He said that despite concerns over allegations made over the past few months about suspicions against some of the UN agency's officials, the assurances of the Secretary-General of the donor countries are appreciated.
Al-Duweesh wished that these suspicions would not hinder the benefit of the Palestinian refugees from the services provided by the UN agency.
On Wednesday, Kuwait announced voluntary contributions to a number of UN agencies, programs and funds worth USD 6.4 million, reiterating continuing support for UN humanitarian and development activities.
This was brought up during Kuwait's speech delivered by Diplomatic Attache Dhari Al-Faris at the UN Pledging Conference for Development Activities.
This will contribute to creating the appropriate development ground for developing countries in the implementation of the 2019 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), showing determination in strengthening international cooperation to achieve sustainable development in all ways by 2030, he mentioned.
Al-Faris pointed out that Kuwait's keenness to support developing countries is in accordance with their needs, cooperating with all development partners and strengthening international efforts to address existing and emerging development challenges.
Since 2008, Kuwait has channeled 10 percent of its total aid to the affected countries through UN agencies and organizations, and has allocated USD 15 billion for 2015-2030 to finance development projects in developing countries through Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).
Donations included UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Emergency Response Fund, he said.
The contribution includes the UN Development Program (UNDP) of USD 570,000, in addition to USD 500,000 each to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
He announced a voluntary grant of USD 500,000 to the Development Fund for the revitalized Resident Coordinator system to ensure a successful transition.
Kuwait's voluntary contribution to UNDP will be deducted and divided for the years 2020-2021 and will be allocated to the activities of the Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, added Al-Faris.
On Thursday, the CEO of the Al-Sham Humanitarian Foundation Mohannad Othman praised the assistance from humanitarian aid organizations in Kuwait for the Syrian refugees and displaced people inside his country.
"As an organization we receive assistance from Kuwait aid agencies to implement humanitarian aid projects inside Syria as well as inside Turkey for the refugees. We work through humanitarian aid agencies in Kuwait," Othman told KUNA on the sidelines of a major humanitarian aid exhibition in Brussels.
"Kuwait has been very supportive of providing funds to this Syrian humanitarian crisis," he said, noting that Kuwait has hosted three international donor conferences on Syria.
"Kuwait has always been one of the countries and donor that provided support and assistance to humanitarian organizations and agencies in Syria," he said.
On Friday, a fourth humanitarian relief plane landed at Khartoum Airport via Kuwait airlift, carrying nearly 10 tons of baby milk and medical aid to those affected by heavy rain and torrents that recently wreaked havoc across the country.
The plane has been ordered under directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, "Leader of Humanitarian Action", to help the Sudanese people face the burden caused by floods and torrents disaster, Charge d'affaires of Kuwaiti Embassy in Khartoum Abdulkareem Al-Mejaym told KUNA.
The plane is loaded with seven tons of medicines and other medical supplies, in addition to three tons of baby milk donated by Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), Al-Mejaym added, affirming the Kuwait airlift will remain active until the crisis ends in all around Sudan.
For his part, head of the support committee at the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Brigadier Musa Omar expressed his gratitude and appreciation of the Kuwaiti leadership, government, and people for their supportive stand by his country through generous and continued support.
Three humanitarian relief planes have previously landed in Sudan via the Kuwait airlift, carrying nearly 110 tons of Kuwaiti aid, Omar noted, adding KRCS has donated USD 527,000 as a financial support to provide sheltering needs and health supplies for those affected by the torrents and floods.
Also on Friday, Kuwait's International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) delivered more than 62 tons of food to Syrian refugees at two refugees' camps in the city of Duhok of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The delivery process, began last week as part of "Kuwait by your side" campaign, was conducted under the supervision of the Kuwaiti Consulate-General in Irbil, distributing 2,068 food parcels to families at Giwelan and Aaqra camps, Ismail Abdulaziz, member of the administrative commission at Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), told KUNA.
The two camps house Syrian refugees who have been residing the Kurdistan region for years, in addition to new refugees who fled the recent violence in northeastern Syria, said Abdulaziz.
He reiterated his thanks to Kuwait and its humanitarian institutions for providing all sorts of aid to the refugees and internally displaces persons in the Kurdistan region and Iraq in general, noting the Kuwaiti food parcels are of quality-standard and filled with the best quality food. (end) ma
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