JEDDAH: Several Muslims with special needs have benefited from a special Umrah pilgrimage organized by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the holy month of Ramadan.
According to statement from the ministry, the Umrah trip was held on the 17th day of Ramadan (May 22) under the “Sadiq Almutamir” (Friend of the Pilgrim) initiative in partnership with the Sawt Al-Asm association in Jeddah.
A bus of 20 people with special needs were accompanied by 12 volunteers, including sign language interpreters for the deaf pilgrims.
The first stop was at Kuday in Makkah, where pilgrims received the special gifts from the Establishment of Motawifs of South East Asian Pilgrims. Next they arrived at the Grand Mosque, where the pilgrims performed Umrah, enjoyed iftar meals, and received souvenirs.
“Sadiq Almutamir” focuses on promoting the culture of giving and cooperation between young Saudis, as well as elevating the volunteering services provided to Umrah pilgrims in order to enrich their experiences.
Launched late last year, the initiative “focuses on improving the efficiency level of services provided to pilgrims, promoting the culture of volunteering, helping elderly and special needs people to perform Umrah rituals, and finally, contributing to the realization of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 of reaching 1 million volunteers annually,” the ministry said in a statement.
