Omani youth campaign to collect funds for Syrian refugees

Young Omanis have launched a campaign to raise funds for the Syrians who have taken refuge in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Muscat Young Omanis have launched a campaign to raise funds for the Syrians who have taken refuge in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. “We have had a fantastic response from people in Oman as we kicked off the fund-raising campaign on Thursday,” Esmail Al Muqbali, one of the main campaigner behind Omani Youth Campaign to give relief to Syrians in distress. He told Gulf News Friday that the idea came from interaction on Facebook where they formed a group sympathising with the Syrian people, who have lost homes and forced to take refuge outside their own country. “The success of the Facebook group prompted us to seek official permission to raise funds,” he said, while collecting funds at a mall in Muscat on Thursday night. “Simultaneously, we have launched campaign in Salalah also,” he pointed out. According to Al Muqbali, the drive will be carried out in five major cities of Oman. “We have volunteers working in Muscat, Sohar, Sur, Ja’alan Bani Bu Ali and Salalah.” The group had to wait for a long time before being given clearance by the Oman Charitable Organisation (OCO). “We had a condition with the OCO that the funds we collect will neither be handed over to the Syrian regime nor to any organisation working under their control,” he said. The youngsters were also sceptical about handing over funds to the Syrian Red Crescent. “The OCO has agreed and we will use the fund collected here to help needy Syrian people affected by the violence and that would be done directly under the supervision of the OCO,” he stressed. According to Al Muqbali, the youth will also actively participate in disbursement of funds to ensure that it reaches the needy. “We have been assured full cooperation by OCO chief Ali Al Raisi to reach this aid to affected people directly,” he added. The OCO has opened four accounts in four leading banks in Oman for people to donate. From: Gulfnews