4-As many as 2,000 New Homes for the Poor in Eastern Province 2 Jeddah On his part, Minister of Labor Dr. Ali Al-Namlah said the number of charity bodies in the Kingdom was on the rise and that 306 such organizations are currently active in the country including 25 run by women and 38 operating on a private basis. The combined revenues of these societies exceed SR1.34 billion ($357 million). He described the road to charity as a long and extremely difficult one but appeared upbeat about the public and private support that charity organizations continue to receive. In a report published today, Arab News quoted Dr. Al-Namlah as saying the ministry was keen on ensuring that charities operate under strict regulations. Two years ago the government set up the Charitable Fund to Combat Poverty following the visit of Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard, to a slum area in Riyadh when he called for a national strategy to wipe out poverty in the country. Dr. Al-Namlah told the Alkhobar conference that the fund has now changed its name to National Charitable Fund and that it is currently implementing five national projects to fight poverty and re-integrate needy families in different parts of the Kingdom.
