"Islamic World Charity Organization" Signs Partnership with Kuwait Blind Association

The Global Islamic Relief Agency (GIRA) and the Kuwait Association for the Blind signed a partnership agreement to launch the “Capacity Building and Professional Empowerment of Blind Women” project, at the Agency’s headquarters in the South Surra area. The signing was attended by GIRA’s Director General, Eng. Badr Saud Al-Samit, Kuwait Association for the Blind Board Chairman Fayez Lafi Al-Azmi, and other relevant stakeholders.

The project targets 200 blind women and girls aged 18 and above, through a comprehensive 12-month training program focused on developing personal, life, and professional skills, boosting self-confidence, and preparing beneficiaries to seize opportunities in the labor market and society.

Eng. Badr Saud Al-Samit, Director General of GIRA, stated that the Agency views empowering persons with disabilities as an integral part of its social responsibility and its strategy to enhance the local impact of charitable work. This project extends the Agency’s experience in economic empowerment and capacity building, which aims to transition beneficiaries from a state of need to one of capability and productivity.

Al-Samit emphasized that GIRA is committed to strengthening the presence of persons with disabilities in its programs and activities, including the “Al-Irada” voluntary team for people with special needs and the “Human Building” initiative, which supports various social care categories. He noted that the Agency’s efforts to amplify its impact within Kuwait are reflected in several partnerships and initiatives targeting diverse community segments. Notable examples include collaboration with the Public Authority for Affairs of Orphans and the “Human Building” initiative, which implements high-quality rehabilitation programs to support 600 beneficiaries, including orphans, persons with disabilities, the elderly, recovering addicts, and released inmates from correctional institutions.

He added that, in cooperation with the General Secretariat for Endowments and the “Human Building” initiative, GIRA implemented a specialized program benefiting 200 persons with disabilities, including those with psychological, mental, motor, hearing, and visual impairments, as well as individuals with learning difficulties, autism, and related syndromes. The program focused on providing rehabilitative and therapeutic services to develop beneficiaries’ capacities and enhance their social participation.

Al-Samit highlighted the launch and completion of the first Quranic competition for the blind, sponsored by Warba Bank and involving 45 participants, organized and supervised by the Al-Irada team for persons with disabilities under the umbrella of GIRA. The team also implemented several other specialized programs and initiatives benefiting various groups of persons with disabilities, including: distributing 55 Furqan devices in Braille to blind individuals under the “Sponsorship of Quran Memorizers” project; providing 225 Moko devices in Braille to blind students in cooperation with the Ministry of Education; supplying 45 devices to deaf mothers to monitor their infants; distributing 25 wheelchairs for persons with motor disabilities; providing 155 vibrating devices to assist the deaf; distributing 40 smart canes for the blind; supplying 30 hearing aids for the hearing impaired; and issuing 50 magnetic cards to sponsor 50 needy families with disabilities. Additionally, seasonal projects included distributing sacrificial animals and Ramadan food baskets to these families.

Al-Samit explained that GIRA’s efforts in empowerment and social reintegration also extend to other groups, citing the “Support Them” initiative, which included programs directed at inmates and released persons from correctional institutions to support their rehabilitation and prepare them for positive reintegration into society. He outlined several projects implemented by the Agency within correctional institutions, such as rehabilitating the counseling hall by renovating it and equipping it with appropriate supplies and furniture, and developing a nursery within one of the institutions by rehabilitating two classrooms and a storage room to provide a more suitable environment for beneficiaries.

He also presented GIRA’s experience in supporting the “Bader Wa Yana” project in cooperation with the Public Authority for Affairs of Orphans, describing it as a model of partnerships that invest in youth potential, develop their skills, and prepare them for future academic and professional stages.

Al-Samit affirmed that these initiatives represent part of the Agency’s efforts to enhance the impact of charitable and humanitarian work within Kuwait, highlighting the importance of integrating the roles of government bodies, civil society organizations, and voluntary initiatives to reach various target groups. He stressed that partnership and cooperation are fundamental pillars for achieving more sustainable and efficient developmental impact.

He noted that the project is based on the Agency’s expertise in empowerment, including its microfinance program, which has financed approximately 62,707 projects since 1998, and the “Halal Earnings” Fund for Productive Families of Orphans, which has financed around 877 projects in 12 countries since 2022.

For his part, Fayez Lafi Al-Azmi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Association for the Blind, said: “The Kuwait Association for the Blind values this partnership with the Global Islamic Relief Agency and sees this project as a practical step toward empowering blind women, enhancing their self-confidence, and opening broader horizons for learning, work, and participation. We look forward to the program having a tangible impact on the lives of beneficiaries and serving as a model for fruitful cooperation among institutions in serving persons with disabilities.”

Al-Samit added: “We are proud of our partnership with the Kuwait Association for the Blind, given its expertise, specialization, and direct knowledge of the needs and aspirations of blind individuals. This partnership combines community expertise with executive capabilities, contributing to the design of more responsive and effective programs, measuring their results, and building on their outcomes.”

He expressed hope that the project would mark the beginning of a broader path in capacity building and professional empowerment for persons with disabilities, extending his gratitude to the Kuwait Association for the Blind and all those involved in the project.

Al-Samit concluded his statement by reaffirming that the Agency will continue to support specialized programs that place human beings at the center of development, view capability as the foundation of empowerment, and utilize partnership as a means to maximize impact.