By IINA
Riyadh : Jeweler and watchmaker Cartier has donated SR570,000 to the Saudi Society for the Care of Orphans (Insan) here yesterday. On behalf of Insan, Prince Faisal bin Salman, chairman of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), who is also the chairman of Insan’s Resource Development Committee, received the check at the SRMG headquarters. The amount was raised as part of Cartier’s yearlong charity initiative under which it collected proceeds from the sale of Cartier’s “Charity Love Bracelet”. The check was handed over by Yaqoub Al-Sharif, CEO of Sara Corporation.
Several top Sara executives, including Yahia I. Al-Ansary, CEO of Luxury & Retail and Oun Zuraikat, sales director for Cartier Middle East, were present besides senior SRMG executives, Arab News reported. Some orphans under Insan’s care also attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Sara Cartier CEO Al-Sharif said: “Cartier’s ‘Charity Love Bracelet’ is an international social initiative launched by Cartier globally to support charities that work for the weaker sections of society”. “We try and choose the foremost charity organizations in each country as we have chosen Insan in Saudi Arabia,” said Al-Sharif, adding that Cartier is very happy to be able to contribute to “Insan’s path-breaking works in helping orphan children in the Kingdom.”
As part of its charity program, Cartier sold 300 bracelets of 18-carat white gold at a price of SR1,875 each from the Cartier boutique, located at Centria Mall in Riyadh, he said. Cartier’s initiative, he said, was launched last year and it chose Insan, which has a mission to integrate our orphan children into the mainstream of Saudi society. Prince Faisal, who received the check on behalf of Insan, talked to the donors and shared his views about Insan and its works. It is noteworthy that Prince Faisal signed a SR22-million contract to establish the “Insan Village” for orphans with special needs only a week earlier. “This reflects Prince Faisal’s commitment to the cause of Insan,” said Saleh Al-Yusuf, Insan’s general manager.
This initiative has been launched to provide orphans with a homely atmosphere. Located in the capital’s Alisha district, the village will include 12 villas, an administrative building, playgrounds, a library, a swimming pool and a hall for computer games.
“In fact, Insan needs a lot of support from all quarters,” said Al-Yusuf. The donation by Cartier will finance “Insan Waqf Fund,” launched by Riyadh Governor Prince Salman with a personal donation of SR3 million. Prince Salman is also the chairman of Insan and he takes personal interest in its affairs. Insan, on its part, honored Cartier with a plaque of appreciation. On this occasion, Cartier also announced to continue its support through the “Charity Love Bracelet” campaign during 2008 also.
A major Saudi charity, Insan was established about eight years ago and has spent around SR200 million for the care of more than 21,500 orphans until the middle of last year. This charity currently provides orphans with comprehensive economic and social support such as food, clothes, education, sports activities, Haj and Umrah, scholarships, training, entertainment programs and employment schemes. Recently, Crown Prince Sultan donated SR16 million to Insan to extend all possible support to orphans. The society currently supports more than 25,000 orphans in Riyadh, its suburbs and neighboring villages.