-  The Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing honors the winners of the “Impact Challenge” competition and sponsors the signing of a number of agreements

The Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, announced today the winners of the "Impact Challenge" contest organized by the Deputy Ministry for the Third Sector and Community Participation at the end of last November. The competition involved the participation of various entities, institutions, and civil associations, aiming to highlight outstanding and impactful voluntary initiatives by individuals in the municipal and housing sectors.

The competition included 11 municipalities from the provinces, 7 from the housing branches, 3 private institutions, and 17 civil associations. The results were announced after evaluating the participants by the judging committee, which included Dr. Mahdi bin Abdullah Al-Qarmadi, Director of Social Responsibility Department at the Ministry of Education, Fahad bin Saad Al-Fahaid, who holds a master's degree in non-profit organization management and manages some development projects, and Maryam Abdullah Al-Mutairi, Head of Volunteering Department at Ensan Charity.

In the category of municipalities, Engineer Ali bin Raja Al-Murashi from Hail Municipality won first place with the initiative "If You Were in My Place," which aims to address the problem of waste accumulation in parks and recreational areas and raise awareness among visitors about the consequences of leaving waste behind. The second place went to Najd bint Falah Al-Dosari from the Eastern Province Municipality with the initiative "Addressing Distorted Writings on Walls and Artistic Beautification," which involves engaging volunteers in improving the urban landscape of the Eastern Province. Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Qahal from Jazan Municipality won third place with the initiative "A Kind Attention for Autism Patients," which focuses on raising awareness among families of autism patients about dealing with them and integrating them into society.

In the housing branches category, Engineer Ahmed bin Salem Khawaji from Jazan Housing Branch won first place with the initiative "Housing Volunteering Centers in Partner Associations," which aims to involve housing volunteers in supporting charitable associations in Jazan by providing housing services to beneficiaries within the associations' premises. The second place was awarded to Mamdouh bin Majid Al-Shammary from the Northern Borders Housing Branch with the initiative "Enhancing Educational Skills for Beneficiaries of Development Housing at Raoom Association for Orphan Care," which focuses on empowering orphan who have been provided with housing units through various voluntary and developmental programs. Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Zahrani from the Baha Housing Branch won third place with the initiative "Updating Citizens' Data on Sakani and Development Housing Platforms," which aims to register and track beneficiaries of charitable associations through volunteers on Sakani and Development Housing platforms and verify their eligibility.

In the category of private organization, Ashwaq bint Abdullah Moutan from Ikram Al-Mawta Society won first place with the initiative "Real Impact of Volunteering in Monitoring Visual Distortions around Cemeteries," which aims to document and record visual distortions around cemetery walls and surrounding areas. Ashwaq bint Abdulaziz Al-Joufan from the Developmental Housing Foundation (Sakan) won second place with the initiative "Digital Housing Volunteering," which aims to use technology in utilizing volunteer services and diversifying volunteering activities.

Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Darbah, from Tarmeem Development Association in Makkah province, won first place in the associations category with the initiative (Volunteer and Impact). The initiative aims to renovate and rehabilitate the home of a young man with disabilities and his family, enabling them to move around safely. Ali bin Saad Al Asmari, from the Tarmeem Al-Ahlia Association in the Eastern Province, won second place in the same category with the initiative (Samaaya Center's Housing Volunteer Story). This initiative aims to activate volunteer work and encourage individuals and stakeholders to contribute and participate in the developmental mission of renovating homes for the neediest families.

The Deputy Minister for the Third Sector and Community Participation, Talal bin Mohammed Al Khunaini, expressed his thanks and gratitude to the volunteers for their dedication and effort in serving their communities. He highlighted their contributions in promoting volunteer work, motivating all segments of society to participate in volunteer initiatives. He emphasized that this recognition is an opportunity to shed light on the positive power of volunteering in creating a real and positive impact in promoting sustainable development, a sense of responsibility, and community participation.

He added, "The number of volunteers in the municipal and housing sector reached 419,708 volunteers who carried out over 60,000 volunteering opportunities, totaling more than 14 million volunteer hours, with an economic value exceeding 300 million SAR." He noted that volunteers contributed to improving the urban landscape, community oversight of municipal and housing services, facilitating the process of homeownership for the neediest families, as well as serving the visitors and pilgrims during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.

During the ceremony, an agreement was signed between the Deputy Ministry for the Third Sector and Community Participation and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, to promote and educate individuals in the community about participating in volunteering activities and services related to removing visual blights in public facilities and neighborhoods. Another agreement was signed between the Deputy Ministry for Third Sector and Community Participation and HungerStation company to launch joint initiatives to enhance specialized volunteering. The event also included a tour by the Minister on the participating pavilions in the accompanying exhibition, and a presentation by the former Saudi ambassador to Japan, Abdulaziz Turkistani, and the Chairman of the Board of Kebar Association, Nada Al Bawardi, showcasing their volunteering experiences.

It is worth mentioning that the Deputy Ministry for the Third Sector and Community Participation launched the "Impact Challenge" competition as part of the International Volunteer Day events. The competition aims to promote and enhance the culture of volunteer work and community participation, and to showcase the quality and impact of these volunteer efforts and initiatives in various provinces of the Kingdom.