Since day 1 after the Jeddah floods disaster that hit certain eastern and northern districts of the city, a joint team between Abdul Latif Jameel Community Services Programs (ALJCSP) and officials from Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) visited the affected locations. The team started coordination works, and special committees have been formed to determine the damages, after which works started to unify and coordinate contributions made by charity foundations. This has been embodied in the social work coordination committee, which encompasses more than 15 charity foundations and societies in Jeddah.

The first meeting was held in presence of ALJCS at JCCI’s exhibition center. At the meeting, the first teams have been formed in coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Jeddah Municipality and the Civil Defense Authority. ALJCSP composed a team headed by Dr. Saad Attiyah Al Ghamdi, deputy president of ALJCSP, while team membership included other ALJCSP top officials.

ALJCSP commenced its relief efforts by supervising the transportation committee. More than 50 trucks and 20 4-wheel drive cars have been provided to accommodate transportation for the teams of the charity work coordination committee. In addition, ALJCSP provided 8 cranes to lift the piles, 4 forklifts for loading and unloading of material donations, 10 suction pumps and 6 excavators for opening roads. Coordination works included providing 60 Provo phones for communication between members of the social work committee, in addition to a bus to transport construction laborers who are assigned to maintain damaged houses.

ALJCSP’s team showed uninterrupted efforts to cooperate with other committees to supply them with means of transportation and assist them accomplish their tasks. In addition, ALJCSP opened the door wide for ALJ’s employee to volunteer for the field relief works. A special office has been erected at Al Maaridh center to coordinate applications, while a team is working on shifts to coordinate providing assistance in terms of transportation to working committees.

In cooperation with the Civil Defense authority, ALJCSP participated in accommodating families affected with Jeddah floods in furnished apartments. On daily basis, victims contact ALJCSP, which provides them the suitable housing in furnished apartments.In the same area, accommodation and foods are provided to the victims, while existing accommodations are examined to verify their appropriateness.

Through Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ), ALJCSP inaugurated offices inside Al Maaridh center to offer job opportunities for those who lost their jobs after the disaster. Candidates are offered taxi cars and trucks, which will assist them make their living, in addition to the small project finance, which provide support to those who lost their projects during the disaster.

Dr. Saad Attiyah Al Ghamdi, deputy president of ALJCSP stated that ALJCSP will continue its efforts in coordination with the social work committee. Dr. Al Ghamdi praised JCCI efforts for comprising this committee, saying that teams are performing periodical field visits to the affected location to follow up work progress.