MLSD Minsiter praises volunteers in community service and partnership with official and civil institutions

25-05-2020

His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Mr Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, praised the efforts of volunteers of all ages and interests, appreciating their distinguished and prominent role in serving the community, through effective partnerships with official and civil institutions, whether they are affiliated with civil society organisations or independent individuals. He pointed out the support and assistance they have provided to the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain, especially recently within the national efforts to confront the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID‑19), and their haste to register to volunteer as soon as the door was opened for volunteers to participate and contribute to supporting national efforts during these exceptional circumstances. In a limited number of hours, more than 30,000 volunteers registered, contributing to many prominent tasks, such as assisting the nursing team in several health sites, in addition to raising awareness among citizens and residents in many locations. They also played a distinguished role in sterilising many work sites, shopping malls, and others, in addition to contributing to helping senior citizens and people with disabilities deliver medicines to their homes, and other things they need in these exceptional circumstances, which made them a source of pride and admiration from all citizens of all categories. Humaidan emphasised that this patriotic and humanitarian behaviour is not new to the people of Bahrain or its residents, as they have always recorded honourable stances over many years. He considered that what they have provided, whether as volunteer organisations or individuals, during the current phase is a rich experience in volunteer work, and confirms the solidarity and cohesion of Bahraini society. At the same time, he called for benefiting from this experience to enhance the professionalism of volunteer work. Humaidan said that humanitarian volunteer work is a hallmark of social development and an indicator of the presence of self‑motivating energies within society capable of giving and growth. Volunteers are a driving force behind the economy, as they contribute to providing a variety of social services in education, training, healthcare, the environment, and services for senior citizens and people with disabilities. On this occasion, His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Mr Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain has been rich in humanitarian volunteer work since ancient times. The people of Bahrain were among the first to start organising social charitable work in the Gulf, and the first to take the initiative to organise volunteer work for social, educational, health, environmental and other services. Bahrain is still active in the field of volunteer work, both inside and outside Bahrain. Today, civil volunteer work has become a support and a parallel sector in all its work and services for public and private institutions alike.