Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — As many as 75 Boy Scouts from various schools in Jeddah are stationed at the Haj and Umrah Complex located at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah as part of the initiative of the "Labaik" volunteer project to serve the guests of God.

Abdullah Al-Thaqafi, director of the department of education in Jeddah, said the volunteering Boy Scouts will extend helping hands to the elderly and disabled pilgrims in addition to women and children.

They will also present the pilgrims with gifts consisting of Zamzam water and roses.

Al-Thaqafi said the Labaik project to serve pilgrims in this year’s Haj seasons was inaugurated by Prince Mishal Bin Majed, governor of Jeddah.

He pointed out that the Boy Scouts have joined other governmental and private bodies in providing services such as ambulances, traffic control, health care, awareness and guidance, and support to various public sector agencies participating in the pilgrimage operation.

Al-Thaqafi said the scouts are deployed in locations already identified to provide assistance to the elderly pilgrims and receive them with hospitality and generosity. They will also help the Ministry of Health to treat sick pilgrims, complementing a number of voluntary humanitarian services for pilgrims.

He also noted that the volunteers serve pilgrims with honor and pride.

For his part, Director of Student Activities in the Department of Education in Jeddah Awad Al-Otaibi said the volunteering teams have started serving the guests of Allah with the objective of achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in increasing the number of volunteers participating in the Haj service through the initiative of "Labaik”.

The well-equipped volunteer teams ready to welcome and assist the pilgrims at the first entry gates of the Kingdom will highlight the bright face of the Saudi Scouts to the guests of God, he said.