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Houses allotted to 180 poor people in Makkah

Tuesday, 20 November 2007

Jeddah, November 20: The Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation plans to build 280 housing units for the poor in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, according to Crown Prince Sultan.

The Crown Prince made the announcement while distributing deeds of 180 housing units built by the foundation to the needy people in Makkah recently.

“I share the happiness of those families who have received new houses today. I am sure that it would change their lives for the better,” the Prince said addressing the gathering on the occasion.

“According to the reports I have received, the charitable housing project in Makkah requires more and I order construction of 100 more villas in the city,” he added.

Later speaking to reporters, Prince Faisal bin Sultan, secretary-general of the foundation, said that immediate measures would be taken to build 180 new houses in Madinah and 100 new houses in Makkah as instructed by the Crown Prince.

He said that work on the two housing projects would start soon after receiving plots. “Prince Sultan wants to establish these housing units in ideal places,” he added.

Prince Sultan inspected a model of the housing project located south of Makkah. The project including a mosque was carried out at a cost of SR40 million on an area of 146,000 square metres. “This is the sixth housing project carried out by the foundation,” said Prince Faisal.

The foundation has so far constructed 720 houses at a total cost of SR200 million.

The beneficiaries of Makkah low-cost houses thanked the crown prince for his humanitarian gesture, and added that it would improve the living condition of several orphans, widows and other needy people in the city.

The foundation, established by Prince Sultan and his sons 14 years ago, has carried out a number of educational, medical and housing projects in various parts of the kingdom benefiting a large number of people.

The London-based World Philanthropists Organisation chose Prince Sultan Foundation for the ‘Philanthropist of the Year’ award in 2006 in appreciation of its humanitarian activities at Muslim, Arab and international levels.