Charitable Societies Role in Addressing Poverty [Archives:2000/31/Reportage]

Yasser Mohammed Ahmed
Yemen Times
As a sociable being by nature, man cannot tolerate to live alone and away from others. The rapid social development and growing emergence of free economy resulted in governments’ discarding of their usual responsibilities towards their citizens. They are no longer taking direct responsibility for providing their citizens with services such as job opportunities, medical care, free education in addition to others. All these have widened the gap between various segments of the society leading to emergence of wide economic disparities. The area of poverty has also been growing larger and larger day by day.
Communities found themselves obliged to exert every effort to catch up with those fast social and economic developments, to find solutions to multitude of problems, mainly poverty. Thus several societies have been established adopting charitable social goals to curb or at least encounter poverty. An incredible number of charitable societies have been established in our country, all adopting the aim of combating poverty. Some of these confined their activities to assist women while others showed interest in children. True, the aim of all these societies was noble in their strive to reduce the effect of poverty but some have failed and no longer exist. Some of the causes are that they have set for themselves targets too far to accomplish.
In an attempt to know more about these organizations in our country, Yemen Times has compiled a comprehensive reportage on these societies and conducted interviews with some who are in charge.
Mr. Othman Adam Othman, Coordinator of the Rural Culture Project at the International CARE Organization in Yemen, defines poverty as ”a state which describes relative failure in feeding a person or persons or a group of persons compared to satisfaction of relative and necessary part of life needs, ” adding ” To describe poverty depends on culture of the society where groups and individuals are living and their sense of the degree of satisfaction felt by those groups and individuals.” Mr. Othman further says that ‘culture of a society means the kind of clothes they put on, and their homes and furniture as well. ” Poverty does not mean only the inability of food satisfaction, but rather the entire cultural life,” he adds.
He divides the poor into three categories:-
i. Those who want to rid themselves of their poverty. They have determination, spirit of initiative and ideas,
ii. Those who have the willingness preparedness but have neither ideas nor spirit of initiative. Such persons need to be helped.
iii Those who have neither ambitions nor ideas. They need great efforts in psychological and social awareness.
Mr. Othman also proposes to have a training composed of relevant parties and donors. Its task would be maintain relationship with voluntary groups before setting up its board. The unit shall be responsible for training the board or service committees on mechanism of executing the projects. He has also praised the NGO’s role in reducing poverty in our country.
All the societies adopt common programs aimed at limiting negative social phenomena. They exert great efforts for that end but they also face many difficulties, particularly those truly aiming at getting rid of negative phenomena. The big societies that managed to achieve successes are rather facing some surmountable difficulties.
Escaping any blame on her Union, Mrs. Sallamah Mohammed Saleh, Secretary of Cultural and Information Affairs at the Yemeni Women’s Union in Abyan Province, was too quick to complain saying:” Poor women themselves would not like to absorb the necessity of their role in the development process. This very reason deepens the society’s backwardness and leads to widening of the scope of poverty.” She bitterly noted that people here got accustomed to “ready-made” projects without contributing to bring them to success.
But her counterpart in Mukalla, Hadhramaut Province played that old boring record which always sings: ” No money.” However she suggests that financial arrangements should always precede founding any society.
Chairwoman of the “Challenge Society For the Handicapped”, Jamala Al-Baidhani, believes that qualifying and training is her Society’s problem. “Through these we can produce active members to enable them play their role in general life,” she said. She appeals to charitable organizations or individuals to visit her Society and offer support since the administration is doing its best despite the fact that they are handicapped themselves.
Meanwhile Blandein Desterima, Researcher at the French Center for Yemeni Studies noted that the large number of societies necessitates high-level and effective coordination among them. “It is high time projects of productive nature in all fields have been implemented to enhance the feeling of social and living safety by the poor,” she said.
In this regard, Basma Al-Qubati, Chairwoman of the Social Society for Family Development, said that a workshop for NGOs in different provinces was held during May 13-14 this year under the motto “Societies’ Participation in Alleviating Poverty”. The purpose was to exchange expertise on NGO’s effect in this respect to broaden scope of discussion. The aim was also to initiate a dialogue between NGO’S and authorities on how to realize a joint effort for alleviating poverty and draw up an Arab strategy.
Despite their problems, some societies were able to offer the best they could. For instance, “Al-Amman Society for the Blind” qualified and trained 18 of its female students at typing and eight others in the field of administration. This society also provided medical care for its members and distributed clothes and foodstuffs to them also. On the other hand, the “Challenge Society for the Handicapped Women” was able to train a large number of handicapped women for office jobs and held exhibitions for its members’ products. Meanwhile, “Martyr Fadhl al-Halali Institute for Blind Women” was able to open a fully equipped dormitory for its students through donations. It receives students from various parts of the Republic. The Institute accommodates 65 blind women who are engaged in woolen crafts, typing and other activities.
The government has been aware of the growing problem of poverty. It submitted a strategic national project to alleviate poverty, but it is still under study between the government and the UNDP. The project admitted the vital role of NGOs. It aims at merging all policies and efforts in one integral plan. We should not forget the “social insurance net” that has been introduced to alleviate poverty. As a part of a policy of supporting the poor, the State has a “Social Care Fund” and a “Program for Supporting Productive Families.” The roles of both the Ministry of Endowment and “Wajibat” section of the Income Tax Authority are also remarkable.
Despite all these efforts the number of citizens who fall under poverty line is increasing day by day. The social insurance net never solves their problems. Alleviation of poverty calls for finding job opportunities for the poor so that they are converted into productive families, able to sustain themselves.
All charitable and voluntary NGOs continue to be a source of hope in combating dire poverty, provided their objectives are coordinated, credible and discernible. A booklet, in form of an annual report, will assist in disseminating their real functions and extent of their success in the society.
No doubt, the Ministry of Social Welfare is bound to facilitate and not to choke the activities of these NGOs so that they are able to play their basic role in development and in service of society.

——
[archive-e:31-v:2000-y:2000-d:2000-07-31-p:./2000/iss31/report.htm]