NEW DELHI: A group of volunteers from Gulf countries has been traveling across the northern city of Agra this week to meet Indian communities as part of a humanitarian mission aimed at reaching under-resourced communities through health, education and empowerment programs.
A 30-member team organized by Kuwait’s Sahabat Amal arrived in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh last week to deliver aid, visit schools and perform medical check-ups for local residents in the city of Agra.
The team consists of doctors, teachers and engineers “who carried out a range of health, educational, and relief initiatives, benefiting hundreds of children, families, and members of the local community,” the Kuwait Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement.
About 400 Indians benefited from their “medical day” program alone, which provided free health education, consultations, dental check, blood sugar test and medicines for participants, it added.
The Gulf volunteers also distributed stationery and various school supplies for students in Agra and organized educational and sports activities for children in the city.
The youth initiative was specifically “aimed at fostering self-confidence, teamwork and positive competition, while providing sports equipment to ensure these activities could continue after the visit concluded,” the embassy said.
Agra, home to the popular destination Taj Mahal, sees millions of tourists visiting every year.
However, some estimates have shown that half of the city’s urban population live in informal settlements and slums, which are known for severe poverty and lack of basic infrastructure, hindering residents’ access to water and sanitation.
The team “reflects the ability of Gulf youth to set an exemplary model of cross-border volunteerism,” it added.
Sahabat Amal, which is also known as “Cloud of Hope,” has organized similar initiatives in other parts of the world, such as Indonesia and Kenya.
