Islamic Development Bank workshop for Muslim NGOs begins in Jeddah

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Prominent leaders of Muslim organizations and institutions from 14 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and the Philippines have joined the 3-day workshop-cum-brainstorming session which began here in Jeddah Sunday. Aimed at empowering the Muslim NGOs, the workshop is organised by Islamic Development Bank (IDB) department for communities  in non-member countries."The Islamic Development Bank’s community development workshop aims to empower Muslim NGOs in different parts of the world by providing them with necessary training to boost their leadership skills", Arab News quoted Awadh Alassaime, director of the IDB department for communities in non-member countries as saying. "The program offers a good opportunity for Muslim community leaders to meet one another and exchange their ideas and skills. It shows the IDB is concerned about all Muslims in the world, not only those in the member countries,” he added while speaking to the Arab News after inaugurating the 3-day workshop Sunday. Alassaime, who holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the US, said his department has been supporting educational, health and training projects of Muslim communities. “We encourage our Muslim brethren in these communities to become good citizens in their respective countries,” he added. He emphasized the importance of education, saying it would help change the situation of Muslims all over the world. The department’s annual budget varies from one year to the other, he said, adding that it finances about 50 projects every year. Since 1983, the department has provided grants of nearly $400 million for Muslim communities in 110 countries. “Since many senior members of Muslim NGOs come for Haj each year, the IDB decided to utilize their presence in the Kingdom by bringing them together to exchange experience, develop new ideas, increase knowledge, sharpen skills and establish a global community development network,” Alassaime said./129