KSrelief announces funding for 6 projects to support Syrian refugees in Jordan

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The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has announced funding support for six projects to help Syrian refugees in Jordan. (SPA)
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The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has announced funding support for six projects to help Syrian refugees in Jordan. (SPA)
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The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has announced funding support for six projects to help Syrian refugees in Jordan. (SPA)
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Updated 20 October 2023
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KSrelief announces funding for 6 projects to support Syrian refugees in Jordan

  • The agreements, which will provide food, shelter and medicine to the refugees, were announced by Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, KSrelief’s general supervisor

RIYADH: Supervisor-General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah on Thursday in Amman launched six projects for food, shelter and health security for Syrian refugees and the host community in Jordan.

Al-Rabeeah said that he was happy to share the responsibility for the Syrian refugees, and expressed appreciation for the important role played by the Jordanian government and people in providing them with a decent means of living, a KSrelief statement issued here on Friday said.

“This is an embodiment of policy pursued by the Saudi leadership, which gives great importance to humanitarian work. The Kingdom has aided and supported all the people affected by disasters, conflicts and wars,” Al-Rabeeah said.  

The total amount provided to those in need has reached $123.2 billion so far. This has contributed to supporting 167 countries, KSrelief said, which has implemented 2,587 projects, amounting to $6.4 billion, covering 94 countries, in cooperation with 175 UN partners.

“As an extension of this role, we are pleased to sign and launch a set of food, shelter and health security projects for Syrian refugees at a cost of $19,478,038, bringing the total amount provided to their aid to $6,141,595,37, including $162,358,892 to implement 121 projects in Jordan,” Al-Rabeeah said.

He said that the visit came during difficult circumstances that the world and the Arab region in particular were facing due to disasters and crises.

Bereaved people pinned their hopes on humanitarian organizations, considering them a safe haven because their employees risked their lives in the affected areas and on the frontlines of conflict areas to save people, Al-Rabeeah said.

He stressed the importance of supporting these organizations so that they could fulfill their commitments to those in need.

The Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization Secretary General Hussein Al-Shibli said that he appreciated the strategic partnership with KSrelief. The partnership, which had been established since the beginning of the center’s work in Jordan, had resulted in the implementation of many relief projects targeting Syrian and Palestinian refugees and needy Jordanian families, he said.

Six joint agreements between KSRelief and international and regional organizations to support Syrian refugees in Jordan were signed.

Al-Rabeeah signed the first agreement with JHCO to operate KSRelief’s 15 clinics, laboratories and pharmacies in the Zaatari refugee camp, with the aim of improving the health of Syrian refugees.

He signed a second agreement with the King Hussein Cancer Center to implement the third phase of the project to support the treatment of Syrian cancer patients in Jordan, with the aim of saving the lives of refugees and covering their treatment costs.

A third agreement was signed with JHCO to implement the second phase of the winter clothing distribution project (Kanaf), worth $2 million, which aims to distribute vouchers in 12 Jordanian governorates so that Syrian and Palestinian refugees can purchase winter clothing.

Al-Rabeeah signed the fourth agreement with the World Food Program to implement the third phase of the project to support food security for Syrian refugees in the Zaatari refugee camp, valued at $6.8 million. It aims to provide food aid to 54,000 refugees by distributing monthly e-vouchers to beneficiaries.

The fifth agreement, valued at $1 million, was signed with the International Medical Corps, to implement a project to improve the situation of refugees and the host community by providing mental health and child protection services, benefiting 2,800 individuals in the Amman and Irbid governorates.

Al-Rabeeah signed the sixth agreement with JHCO to launch a food security project by providing 2,000 tons of dates to Jordan, worth $3.234 million.


Minzal brings Saudi traditions to life in Diriyah

Updated 07 January 2026
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Minzal brings Saudi traditions to life in Diriyah

  • From leather crafts and archery to Saudi coffee, Minzal offers a lesson in ‘Sloum Al-Arab’

RIYADH: This season of Minzal places social norms and traditional etiquette at its center, with tents set up to teach what is locally known as “Sloum Al-Arab” alongside gatherings for coffee, dinner and stargazing around campfires.

“Sloum Al-Arab” refers to the unwritten customers and values that have shaped Arab and Bedouin society for centuries, including generosity, coffee preparation, courage and archery. 

In Saudi Arabia, these traditions are closely ties to cultural identity and religious belief. 

Leather products and the making of leather goods is one of the crafts featured at Minzal this year and is one of the oldest crafts still practiced in the kingdom.

“The most difficult thing I faced to work on was camel leather because it is a little tough,” Nada Samman, a leather trainer and craftsman at Minzal, told Arab News. 

Minzal continues to evolve with each season, offering activities that highlight Bedouin values, traditional skills and sports. (AN photo by Haifa Alshammari)

“The work on leather is wonderful whether it is goat leather, cow leather, Sawakni sheep, and of course, camel leather. At Minzal, we are offering multiple handicraft workshops, most specifically the leather handicrafts. We want visitors to spend time at something useful and fun."

Samman explained the workshops allowed participants to preserve heritage while engaging in meaning, hands on activities. 

Faisal Al-Khaled, a visual artist and craftsman specializing in Saudi designs at Minzal, shared a similar goal: “I want people to have, by the end of this experience, a unique and traditional art piece created by them, and that I know I helped them to preserve this craft.”

Minzal, which has been organized for several years now, continues to evolve with each season, offering activities that highlight Bedouin values, traditional skills and sports. Archery is a key feature, reflecting its deep roots in Arab and Islamic history.

Mohammed Al-Sharif, a certified archery player and coach with the Saudi Archery Federation since 2028, said the sport was closely connected to Saudi culture. It was encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad, which led people to learn and teach it through generations.

“Our traditional bow is considered one of the most important and widely used bows in Arab culture,” Al-Sharif said. “We have several styles, and professional archers specializing in traditional bow shooting … There are various types of archery, such as horseback archery and standing archery, where bow sizes vary according to specific needs, such as types used for hunting and others used during warfare.”

He explained that archery was historically part of daily life, used for protection and hunting. 

Saudi coffee also plays a significant role in the Minzal experience, with live demonstrations. One of the most frequently consumed beverages in the Kingdom, it is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.

Ahmed Al-Shuaibi explained how it was prepared at the Sloum tent, first by roasting the beans and then allowing them to cool. The beans are ground with spices in a Nigr.

“Coffee is passed from our grandparents,” he added. “In significant majlis, you see them offering our local coffee and not other types of coffee. We organized this corner so that young generations can visit and learn this.”