JEDDAH: RIMA AL-MUKHTAR
Tuesday 23 July 2013

For the fourth year running, the Young Initiative Group (YIG) has been carrying out a Ramadan initiative that revolves around distributing iftar meals to the less fortunate across Jeddah.

Young Initiative Group (YIG) is a Jeddah-based volunteer group that has been implementing Ramadan projects, which include providing iftar meals. The group gathers volunteers, chooses the areas where the distribution is to take place and collects food donations from companies, restaurants, kitchens and factories in Jeddah.

Iftar Sayem 4 is a YIG project, which is held and run by volunteers. The project has continued due to its success for the last three years. This year, the group is armed with double the number of volunteers and food supplies.

YIG co-founder Muhammad Al-Bakri said: “By connecting with different members of your community, you generate a new perspective and garner appreciation for your own blessings. More importantly, you start realizing the many ways by which you can add value to members living in poorer communities simply by utilizing the blessings you already enjoy on a daily basis. While the main goal of Iftar Sayem is to share our blessings with the greater community, our greater goal is connect the different facets of our community together so we can generate empathy between the different members of our community.”

Iftar Sayem began with merely five volunteers back in August 2010 distributing 300 meals in only three districts. “Now, we are a team of 80 volunteers from all walks of life, covering more than 7 districts with more than 3000 meals on a daily basis,” said Al-Bakri.

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