JEDDAH: The Social Security Office in Madinah has visited the family of a 25-year-old woman who said she is ready to sell one of her kidneys to help her mother clear her debts.
“We have studied the family’s case and found them to be in a difficult situation ... The case has received the Ministry of Social Affairs’ attention and we are expecting them to respond soon,” said Atiyah Abu Dangar, head of the Social Security Office in Madinah.
Abu Dangar said the mother had accumulated huge debts after taking out loans from banks and members of the public.
Asked when he expects the family to receive help, he said: “We cannot say exactly when.”
He added that the Social Security Office’s role is to protect vulnerable people from being exploited.
The young woman’s mother, who asked her name not be published, said that a day after Arab News published their story, the head of the Social Security Office visited them to collect information about their situation.
“He promised they would provide us with immediate aid and after studying our case they would give us periodical aid until we paid back our loans. But we have not received anything, not even emergency help,” she said.
The woman, who moved to Madinah from Tabuk, added that she has been asked to provide a legal document issued by a court proving that her husband is not providing her with financial help.
“We don’t know anyone here in Madinah. In order to arrange such a document we have to get two witnesses and go through some other legal complications. This is just going to delay the help that we need,” she said.
“My kids can testify that we’re not receiving any help from their father. However, will the court accept their testimony … I cannot afford to go to Tabuk to get witnesses from there,” she added.
Arab News reported on Aug. 10 how the woman’s 25-year-old daughter had expressed a desire to sell her kidney after the family failed to secure financial help from charity organizations and the municipality.
“We have failed to gain aid to help us lead a better life since my father left us 12 years ago,” said the woman. “He abdicated his responsibilities and so my mother has had to take full care of us, but money has always been a problem,” said the woman, adding that charity groups have not helped saying their father must help them instead.
The mother works as an office clerk in an educational institution, earning SR1,500 a month.
“My mother has been taking care of the six of us, the rent, the bills and all other expenses,” she said. “She has always hoped to raise some cash to pay back some of her debts, which have now risen to SR250,000.”
