JEDDAH: The Minister of Social Affairs Yousuf Al-Othaimeen expressed his concerns yesterday over the community’s understanding of social development that is limited to financial assistance.
On the first day of a social development forum held at the Jeddah Hilton, Al-Othaimeen said when needy people approach charitable organizations all they have in mind is asking for money and all the institutions have to offer is just that.
“We must learn to differentiate between those who are capable of working yet they ask for money and those who are unfit to work either because they are physically ill, very old, very young or disabled,” said Al-Othaimeen. “We must change the culture of giving only money to the needy. I would like to see a needy person receiving a scholarship or a training certificate instead of a check.”
Al-Othaimeen said the Ministry of Social Affairs is working on changing its image that is tied to aiding the poor and a mentality of just putting out fires rather than taking a more proactive and pre-emptive approach.
“We want to apply the methods that get us involved in the actual social development of people and to help them develop and achieve,” the minister added.
Toward the end of the minister’s speech, members of the audience expressed the need to unite the work and efforts of the private and public charitable and social development institutions and societies under the ministry’s umbrella. “I’d be more than happy to hear your comments, complaints and suggestions,” said Al-Othaimeen.
“But above all, I want businessmen, businesswomen, managers and leaders to come up with clear initiatives and objectives so that the ministry can study them and support them financially and morally instead of just listening to complaints.”
During the third session of the day entitled “Evaluating the Reality of Social Development Institutions Locally,” Abdulaziz Al-Hadlg, undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs, in cooperation with Ghassan Barrage, an executive adviser from the consulting firm Booz and Company, shared the ministry’s vision and application of social development.
The formula of social development is made of three major components: the sectors offering the services, the programs that are either for financial support or development purposes, and the people who benefit from these services. “The ministry has three main programs for support and development: social insurance, social care and the ministry’s activities in social development,” said Barrage.
The ministry has established 515 charitable organizations, 69 charitable institutions, 335 social development committees, 160 cooperative committees and 10 charitable institutions that were set up by a royal decree.
“And the three main sectors that offer social development services are: governmental, non-profit and families and individuals,” said Barrage.
The session was concluded by addressing five major challenges the ministry faces: Coverage of social needs as an issue whether in terms of services or in terms of areas, enhancing the ministry’s capabilities so that it grows faster, enhancing the private sector’s capabilities because some of the institutions are very weak, developing human resources that offer the services because they are not qualified enough and specializing in offering the services so that they become better.
