Kuwait Red Crescent President Affirms Continuation of 60-Year Humanitarian Mission

Kuwait City, Kuwait, 10 Jan (KUNA) -- The President of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), Khaled Al-Mughams, affirmed the organization's continued commitment to its humanitarian mission, which began 60 years ago, based on a firm Kuwaiti approach to aiding the affected, supporting needy peoples, and preserving human dignity. He described the society as a national institution contributing to consolidating Kuwait’s standing on the map of international humanitarian action.

In an interview with KUNA on Thursday, marking the 60th anniversary of the society's establishment, Al-Mughams stated that over the past six decades, the Kuwait Red Crescent has transformed humanitarian principles into relief and development programs reaching dozens of countries without discrimination based on religion, gender, or race.

He added that the society, founded in 1966, has continued its journey with the support of the political leadership, official authorities, and philanthropists in Kuwait. He noted that the activities of the current board, which assumed office in October 2024 and will serve until the end of September 2026, have extended to 13 countries. These efforts included organizing 27 relief flights carrying approximately 550 tons of food, medical, and relief supplies, alongside land convoys and development projects implemented in 2025.

Al-Mughams highlighted that the most prominent relief efforts included the "Fazaa for Gaza" campaign, which involved preparing 19 flights carrying approximately 400 tons of food supplies. Additionally, six relief flights were dispatched to Syria carrying around 70 tons, two flights to Sudan carrying 80 tons, two land convoys to Yemen totaling 60 tons of medical and relief aid, and one flight to Lebanon carrying approximately 40 tons of humanitarian assistance.

He pointed out that the board has paid special attention to health and development projects, including supporting medical care for injured Palestinians, opening a specialized hospital for ophthalmology and eye surgery in Marib Governorate, Yemen, signing a $2 million agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support health services in Sudan, and providing a $300,000 grant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve housing conditions for approximately 2,000 Rohingya refugee families in Bangladesh.

On the local level, Al-Mughams said the society continues to support around 4,000 registered families through social, food, and educational programs. These initiatives included distributing 600 school bags and paying tuition fees for 295 students. Furthermore, the society provided KD 2 million to the third national campaign for settling the debts of indebted individuals, and KD 200,000 to the Ministry of Justice campaign in 2026.

He affirmed the society's commitment to enhancing national readiness by training volunteers, preparing shelters in 12 schools, and developing the emergency response system following the unjust Iranian aggression.

Al-Mughams noted that the society has focused on providing aid to vulnerable groups within Kuwait, emphasizing care for modest families, engaging with residents of social care centers, and visiting patients in hospitals in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

He stressed that the society has strengthened its readiness to face disasters and emergencies by establishing a Disaster Management Operations Center. This center is dedicated to collecting and analyzing data, coordinating field efforts, and training specialized teams for rapid and organized response.

He added that the society has worked to strengthen local and international partnerships and participate in high-level regional and international events. It has also signed several agreements, most notably a cooperation agreement with the American Institute for Peace and Health, a memorandum of understanding with the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies, and another MoU with the Kuwait Journalists Association.

Al-Mughams reiterated that as the society enters its seventh decade, it aims to develop the humanitarian work system, enhance local and international partnerships, and leverage modern technologies. This includes launching the "Kuwait Red Crescent Humanitarian House" project to document its historical journey, and a first aid training project using Virtual Reality (VR) technology.

He mentioned that the current board has focused on empowering national cadres and streamlining administrative operations by documenting meetings and decisions, updating financial control systems through the implementation of Oracle, developing the organizational structure, and enhancing the efficiency of staff and volunteers. Additionally, a mental and social health office has been established, and a training center has been developed to enhance the sustainability of its humanitarian efforts and consolidate Kuwait’s position in relief and humanitarian fields.

He indicated that the society is preparing for several future projects currently under study, covering more than 10 countries, including Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and East African nations. He clarified that the society’s goal is to propose sustainable projects that serve the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable communities.

(End) S.L.M / A.N.D