General Manager of Kuwait Food Bank in an exclusive interview with Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: General Manager of Kuwait Food Bank Salem Al-Hamar spoke in an exclusive interview with Kuwait Times about its cooperation with the General Secretariat of Awqaf on the Al-Ashayat Bank 2 project. Some excerpts:

Kuwait Times: Tell us about the Al-Ashayat Bank 2 project.
Salem Al-Hamar: The General Secretariat of Awqaf has renewed its confidence in Kuwait Food Bank to conclude the Al-Ashayat Bank project for the second year in a row. This is consistent with the main objective of the Food Bank - to make the world benefit from the country of humanity. Thanks to God, the Al-Ashayat Bank project in the first phase achieved remarkable success in Kuwait, where it covered the requirements of more than 6,000 needy families in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Awqaf, which provided continuous technical, administrative and moral support for the success of this project - one of the largest charity works held in Kuwait.

KT: What is the assistance provided by the Food Bank in cooperation with the Awqaf Secretariat in the Al-Ashayat Bank project?
Hamar: The Al-Ashayat Bank project provides food and drink to needy Muslims throughout the year with funding from the Al-Ashayat Bank at the Awqaf Trust. The project aims to distribute necessary aid and supplies to thousands of needy families through a database that is continuously updated to add poor families. Undoubtedly, the Al-Ashayat Bank project aims to help families in need face living conditions and provide them with a decent way of life.

KT: After the success of the Al-Ashayat Bank 1 project, what is the goal of the Food Bank for Al-Ashayat Bank 2?
Hamar: Kuwait Food Bank aims to cover the needs of 1,200 families - an average of 6,000 people - every month, making it the largest charity project in the region. This large number of people is covered by the Food Bank through a trained team of volunteers who work to deliver aid to the beneficiaries and also ensure their safety.

KT: Which are the target groups of the Al-Ashayat Bank 2 project?
Hamar:The Al-Ashayat Bank 2 project supports needy families, orphans and widows with basic food and drink items monthly throughout the year in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Awqaf, which has provided unlimited support towards this charity work. This has led to the success of this huge project, which is the first of its kind in Kuwait and the region due to its wide coverage at the local level. It should also be noted that there are a large number of families who need assistance, especially expatriate families and Yemenis and Syrians, who suffer from major problems. So there is a need to try to bring smiles to the faces of these families and help them by all means. There is a need to strike a balance between foreign aid and internal assistance.

KT: What are the procedures for beneficiaries to benefit from this project?
Hamar: Disabled families living in the country who wish to receive in-kind assistance can submit official documents proving their social situation at the new Food Bank headquarters in Qurtuba. The distribution of food is done away from the media glare in order to preserve the dignity of families. In conclusion, Hamar said charity work is not to achieve honor or for bragging, but is a mandate. He thanked the responsible and honest officials at the General Secretariat of Awqaf for their wonderful efforts and cooperation for the advancement of philanthropy in Kuwait. "We thank the General Secretariat of Awqaf and those in charge for their constructive cooperation with Kuwait Food Bank and their continued support for charitable work, endowment projects and other projects carried out by government agencies and charitable associations," Hamar told Kuwait Times.