The use of e-bracelets had a major impact in efficiently, facilitating the pilgrims’ return to their tents by youths from the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association, who were spread throughout Mina during this year’s Haj pilgrimage.

Abdu Ahmed Mu’afa, a supervisor at one of the scout centers in Mina, said the scouts at the holy site played an important role to help lost pilgrims return to their tents.

He said the e-bracelets significantly contributed in helping the scouts in quickly assisting the pilgrims. They would take a picture of the barcode on the bracelets with a smartphone, and enter the number to the device to obtain a pilgrim’s data to locate his or her tent.

The e-bracelets store personal information of each pilgrim, including nationality, passport number, visa number, and address, as well as any pertinent medical information.

The e-bracelets allowed better service provision by government and private sector bodies, including for those who are lost, the elderly, and those who do not speak Arabic.

Mu’afa said there were eight scout centers in Mina and Arafat, and around 7,000 scouts served guests of Allah this year. He said scouts prepare three months before the start of the pilgrimage season, where those who wish to participate submit their applications through the website. The names are selected, and training courses are held through the centers in different regions of the Kingdom.

Source: Arab News