EP Ramadan tents host 35,000

CHARITY: Thousands of people are served iftar in tents like this.

DAMMAM: More than 25 licensed Ramadan tents for iftar cater to approximately 35,000 guests daily in the Eastern Province.

The cost is more than SR400,000 for the iftar meals, said Mubarak Al-Fayez, Ramadan tent supervisor and deputy director of the Call and Guidance Department in Dammam.

“The Eastern Province is the third largest area after Makkah and Madinah with regard to the number of Ramadan tents,” he said. “Each meal costs between SR10 and SR12.”

He said that the tents hold religious lectures in a number of languages.

“A total of 922 people embraced Islam last year through the Call and Guidance Department, bringing the total number of those who converted to Islam through the office to 9,200,” he said.

Al-Fayez said all interested people could present their donations to charities and call and guidance offices as a contribution to the Ramadan tents licensed by the authorities.

On the increasing number of beneficiaries, Al-Fayez said: “These tents might serve more than a million fasting Muslims this Ramadan, compared to 850,000 in the previous year.”

The University of Dammam provides medical services and healthy water in the tents, whereas Saudi Aramco offers driving tests to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of motorists, Al-Fayez said, adding that the tent offers a safety and security course and smoking cessation lessons provided by Naqa Anti-Smoking Association.

Meanwhile, Al-Baraka Charitable Society for Social Services in Dammam has begun the distribution of Ramadan food boxes for needy families.

Saad Al-Ahmari, Al-Baraka director of financial resources, said: “The families sponsored by the society amount to 900, and 550 food boxes were distributed in Dammam, along with the aids presented to more than 250 families from outside the society’s geographical scope.”

Al-Ahmari added that the distribution of food boxes would continue until the middle of Ramadan, adding that the society received about 350 boxes containing nearly 15 food items prepared and donated by a number of Eastern Province women for the needy.