NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia has extended aid to disaster-affected people irrespective of their religion, race or color, said Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Royal Court and general supervisor of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief).
Addressing a symposium at the UN headquarters in New York titled “Partners for a sustainable peace in Yemen,” he said Saudi development assistance stood at 1.9 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014, compared to the UN-approved rate of 0.70 percent.
Besides hosting Yemeni and Syrian refugees, the Kingdom supported 231 projects in 38 countries at a cost of $761.9 million, he said.
The countries include Yemen, Syria, Myanmar, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Tajikistan, Iraq, Palestine and Ethiopia, he added.
The Kingdom responded to an urgent call by the UN in April 2015 and paid the full commitment of $274 million, Al-Rabeeah said.
It also paid $150 million at a donor conference for Yemen in Geneva on April 25, 2017, he added.
This year up to Aug. 10, the Kingdom provided $221.7 million to support anti-cholera programs in Yemen, and $66.7 million in response to a call from the World Health Organization (WHO) for additional funds to combat the disease in that country, he said.
Touching on KSRelief’s key achievements in Yemen, he said 4.3 million Yemenis have received assistance, and 2.5 million receive monthly assistance from the World Food Program (WFP) financed by the center.
From April 2015 to August 2017, Saudi assistance to Yemen stood at $8.27 billion, while that provided by KSRelief stood at $911.9 million.
Assistance to Yemenis in the Kingdom reached $1.13 billion, while development assistance to Yemen reached $2.9 billion. The Kingdom also provided $1 billion to support Yemen’s central bank, he said.
Al-Rabeeah explored challenges faced by KSRelief in Yemen, including poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition among children.
He also touched on the looting of relief aid by the Houthis in Yemen, and their attacks on relief workers affiliated with the UN and other aid agencies.
KSRelief chief highlights Saudi aid efforts
KSRelief chief highlights Saudi aid efforts
Local ZUMI thermos bottle has heritage-inspired design
- References Zamzam and Hajar’s search for water
- Helps to tell Kingdom’s story, says firm Teeb Made
ZUMI, a thermos bottle unveiled this month by Saudi Arabia brand Teeb Made, has a design referencing local memory, ritual and place, according to its producers.
“We believe meaningful design can influence how people live, feel, and connect,” said Abeer Alessa, CEO of The Bold Group and co-founder of Teeb Made.
“ZUMI draws from our heritage yet speaks to a global audience seeking intention and authenticity in the objects they choose.”
Developed under The Bold Group, ZUMI reflects a growing movement within Saudi Arabia’s creative sector to translate cultural narratives into tangible products.
Rather than following global design trends, the team focused on grounding the product in a story that resonates locally while remaining accessible internationally.
The name ZUMI is inspired by Hajar’s call, “Zummi, zummi,” meaning “gather, gather,” during her search for water for her son Ismail between the hills of Safa and Marwah.
That moment led to the emergence of Zamzam water, a source revered for centuries and deeply embedded in Islamic and Saudi identity. For the creators, this origin story became the philosophical core of the product.
“Culture starts with a story,” Alessa explained. “With Teeb Made, we wanted to tell our story not only through communication, but through a product you can touch, live with, and keep close to you.”
Visually, ZUMI draws inspiration from the dorag, the historical vessel used by the Zamazmah men of Makkah to serve Zamzam water to pilgrims for more than 1,400 years.
Traditionally utilitarian, the dorag carried spiritual weight through its purpose rather than ornamentation. Teeb Made reinterpreted this form into a minimal, contemporary silhouette suited for modern lifestyles.
“We wanted ZUMI to be a vessel of meaning, not just water,” said Mohamad Baalbaki, executive creative director of The Bold Group and co-founder of Teeb Made.
“Its form, its patented base, and its simplicity all serve one purpose: to create something that feels familiar, timeless, and deeply personal.”
The design process was extensive. Translating a historical silhouette into a thermos bottle required more than 18 months of research and development.
The final product received a patented design certification from the Saudi Ministry of Culture, marking a milestone in original Saudi intellectual property within product design.
One of ZUMI’s most talked-about features is that it does not stand upright. This decision was entirely intentional.
“We wanted people to carry it, not leave it on a table,” Baalbaki said. “It’s a statement piece, but more importantly, it’s a personal object that invites interaction and conversation.”
Color selection further reinforces the connection to place. The launch collection features hues inspired by Saudi landscapes, including tin (mud), forest, and matar (rain), reflecting the Kingdom’s environmental diversity and grounding the product visually in its origins.
“ZUMI is a product with a Saudi story that is scalable and built to last,” said Souad Merheb, general manager of Teeb Made. “Our vision is to create intellectual property that can live long, grow as a brand, and carry these stories to new generations without losing their meaning.”
“Teeb Made is, at its core, a product design company,” Merheb added. “Our expertise lies in design and creativity, and ZUMI is a reflection of that focus, a piece of IP developed with intention, patience, and depth.”
“There are many rich and insightful stories in Saudi Arabia that remain untapped,” Alessa said. “With ZUMI, this is just the beginning.”
Beyond the product itself, ZUMI aligns with broader national efforts to elevate Saudi culture through the creative economy.
Teeb Made has engaged with several government entities and cultural platforms that recognize the value of culturally rooted products in shaping global perceptions of the Kingdom.
“Today, every Saudi has a role in telling our story to the world,” Alessa said. “For us, it is an honor to contribute to that narrative through design.”
ZUMI also signals the beginning of a wider design ecosystem under Teeb Made, with future editions and complementary accessories already in development.
According to the team, this is only the first chapter in a larger effort to revive untapped cultural stories through modern design.
ZUMI is available at www.zumibottle.com and on Instagram @zumibottle.
