Social solidarity might only be achieved through a better redistribution of wealth and in urging the poorest to take their destiny in charge.

Mr. Chakib Khelil, at the head of this Ministry since December 26th 1999, convinced by the fact that human dignity was beyond price, decided to pay a particular attention to the most deprived employees and their beneficiaries.

On these grounds, and in collaboration with some civil servants wishing to make this project a success, a "solidarity unit" was created on December 21st 2000. The following ministerial directives, intended to ensure an adequate taking in charge of the concerned employees, were the basis of the activity program elaborated by the unit:

1. to set up an organization to meet the nutritional requirements of persons in trouble,
2. to take in charge financially the whole or a part of the medical care of the employees or their beneficiaries suffering from chronic illness, having gone through or to go through a surgical intervention, bound to wear glasses or corrective braces,
3. to implement actions in favour of the reinsertion in the society and the workplace (according to the availability of funds).

Since 2000, the implementation of a part of these operations through the Solidarity Unit was made possible thanks to the financial contribution from both the companies of the national public and private sectors and the foreign companies established in Algeria.

During the sacred month of Ramadhan, donations from public and private Algerian companies helped out two hundred seventy four (274) deprived persons in 2000 and one hundred fifty (150) persons in 2001 to receive each their own basket of provisions.

Similarly, on the occasion of the Aîd-El-Fitr, the Solidarity Unit provided with clothes two hundred fifty three (253) employees' children from the Ministry of Energy and Mines in 2000, and two hundred and seven (207) children in 2001.

Concerning the socio-medical contribution of the Unit, a number of applications for help were met (cash allowances for expenses, legal costs payment, home improvement costs) through the donations of state-owned companies.

The "Solidarity Unit" program forecasts for the years 2002 to 2003 are most certainly ambitious but their achievement remains within the realm of possibility if only the national and international solidarity plays its part. Thus, we are calling for any individual or corporate entity sharing the same viewpoint or the same ideal to help us achieve our projects.

Through mutual assistance let us reinforce the solidarity chain already existing in some parts of the world and become in turn one of its new links.