JEDDAH, 15 January 2007 — The Charitable Society for the Care of Saudi Families Abroad (Awasser) intends to expand its activities with the support of government agencies, according to Abdullah ibn Saleh Al-Hamoud, chairman of the society’s board of directors.
“We established this organization two years ago after learning that a large number of Saudi families and individuals living outside the Kingdom, especially in Arab countries, require assistance,” Hamoud said.
Awasser intends to open its offices in a number of foreign countries in order to meet the social, educational and economic requirements of Saudi families and individuals in those countries. Saudi embassies also inform the society about needy Saudi families.
Hamoud said Awasser required at least SR50 million to carry out its mission in an effective manner as there are a large number of Saudi families and individuals abroad who need assistance.
“We have seen Saudi children in foreign streets without any residence permit or other valid documents,” he said, speaking about the pathetic condition of some Saudi families living outside the Kingdom. “Many Saudi families need financial help as a result of the absence of their father who does not take care of them or his death or perhaps he has divorced their foreign mother,” he explained.
“A Saudi requested our help to bring back two of his daughters in the US who had converted to Christianity, the religion of their mother. We paid $1,000 to the girls as monthly assistance until the completion of procedures to bring them back to the Kingdom,” Al-Yaum Arabic daily quoted Hamoud as saying.
The society was also able to prevent a Saudi woman from working in a nightclub in an Arab capital by providing a monthly salary and housing for the woman and her three children, he said. “We have contacted the father of the children to bring them back to the Kingdom,” he added.
Awasser, which was established with the support of Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, is registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs, which provides an annual contribution of SR1 million to meet the expenses. The society also receives zakah and other donations from Saudi businessmen and philanthropists.
Hamoud said Awasser would not interfere in security-related cases of Saudis living abroad. Asked about a Saudi’s Filipino wife who had run away to her country with their three children, he said, “We don’t interfere in such matters as it involves a number of security issues such as absconding and forging travel documents.”
Despite its newness, the society was instrumental in bringing together eight Saudi families in Egypt, four in Lebanon and one in Sweden. It also provides housing and health care for some families in three other countries. The society has established a website (www.awasser.org.sa) and appointed two representatives abroad.
