Voluntary community service among Saudi youth appears to be gaining ground across Saudi Arabia, according to Badr Fahad Al-Jeraisy, media head of the Social Committee in Ergah (SCE), northwest of Riyadh.
He noted that in the wake of the two-day 2nd Riyadh Social Forum, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization (ARCO) had announced plans to ask the Ministry of Education to make community service mandatory for students at government schools. ARCO Secretary General Abdullah Al-Hazza announced the plan and said that his organization would submit a proposal to Minister of Education Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.
Al-Jeraisy highlighted that the SCE has been undertaking various community projects such as organizing an environmental campaign in Ergah neighborhood, providing donations to underprivileged people and offering tutorial lessons to teenagers.
“If ARCO’s plan materializes it would be a positive step in the right direction. We need the youth to be involved in community service, as it would mean more participants in the propagation of free service and goodwill in society,” said Badr Al-Khanbassi, member of the volunteer group Ghadan. He said that he and other Saudi volunteers from various groups had proposed earlier to the ministry making community service compulsory among students in public schools.
“We were told that the first step is to create a pilot project, which would be implemented at the community level. If the project succeeds then it could be presented to the ministry for nationwide implementation,” he said.
Al-Khanbassi has been involved in volunteer work for the last nine years, as far back as when he was a student at King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). Before joining Ghadan, he worked with Rekaaz, another volunteer group that aims to promote friendship and goodwill among the youth.
Adeeb Fahd Baksh, head of a non-profit organization (NGO) called Arweqah (Different Roots), added that he is pleased with the increased number of volunteer work initiatives witnessed in the Kingdom over the past few years.
“We at Arweqah are involved in community service to help others have a better and more meaningful life,” he said.
Community service gains ground among Saudi youngsters
Community service gains ground among Saudi youngsters
Saudi hospital pioneers preventive type 1 diabetes treatment
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center introduced a groundbreaking preventive treatment aimed at slowing the progression of type 1 diabetes, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The new therapy is designed for adults and children aged eight years and older who are diagnosed at stage two of the disease. It marks the first time such a treatment has been implemented in the Kingdom.
The initial application involved two patients who met all the criteria outlined in the approved protocol. The step represents a major advance in early preventive care for one of the most common autoimmune conditions affecting children and adolescents.
Both cases were treated at the hospital’s Department of Pediatrics. For families already managing type 1 diabetes, the innovation brings new hope.
Siblings of affected children often face increased risk due to shared genetic and immune factors. Preventive options like this could significantly lower those risks in the future.
The treatment targets the early, pre-type 1 diabetes stage when insulin-producing pancreatic cells begin to deteriorate. Through early intervention, doctors can slow this damage, delay the onset of symptoms and help extend the time before full disease progression.
Implementing the therapy required careful preparation. The drug was compounded in the hospital pharmacy under a precise protocol, while nursing teams received training on administration, monitoring and managing possible reactions.
Medical staff were also briefed on patient selection and follow-up criteria based on the latest clinical guidelines.
According to the SPA, experts expect the program to inspire national research focused on the early stages of the disease and on developing preventive approaches that enhance quality of life for at-risk groups.
KFSH&RC continues to gain recognition on the global stage. It was ranked first in the Middle East and Africa, and 15th worldwide among the top 250 academic medical centers for 2025.
The hospital was also named the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East by Brand Finance 2025.
Additionally, Newsweek included KFSH&RC on its lists of the World’s Best Hospitals (2025), the World’s Smartest Hospitals (2026) and the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals (2026).
