Dar Sa’ad Charity Association: An Exemplary Success [Archives:2000/12/Reportage]

The declaration of the re-unification in 1990 was viewed as a turning point in the history of Yemenis, for that was associated with adopting democratic policy convenient for setting civil society bodies, and freedom of press and expression. During the past ten years, a number of societies as well as organizations were established in many governorates, however, most of these organizations have proved to be a complete failure for they were exploited, either by the authority or the opposition, to meet some top officials’ interests.
Despite, this shameful present conditions of these organizations, there are few societies that could realize excellently tangible successes. One of such successful societies or associations is Dar Sa’ad Charity, Social & Sides Association. It is doing a great job though the limited resources it has. All the achievements are owed to the prudent administration running it. It is chaired by Mohammed Shamssan Mokbel who finances some of the society’s projects. So far the society has no suitable location for its members to conduct their activities.
The society is headquartered in a shanty built of tin sheets established and financed by its chairman. It renders services and aid to the residents in Dar Sa’ad and the nearby areas.
Since its establishment by Mr. Mohammed Shamsan Mokbel, chairman of the society, he has been providing the society with the money it needs to take roots. The society has never received any support neither from the authority in the governorate nor from the Ministry of Social Securities which endorsed the society’s fund in January 2000. However, so far the society have received nothing. The society’s main objective is to keep regular detailed lists of the poor families, crippled and handicapped old men. These lists are to be presented to the Fund of Social Care at the Ministry of Social Securities in Aden.
The Fund of Social Care deems the society as one of its headquarters to distribute assistance among the people in the town. There is also another branch of the society in Al-Basatin district which makes things easier to distribute aids to poor families.
In 1998, the Fund of Social Care distributed cards among those included in the society’s lists so as to help organize distributing aids. The fund gave out about 1246 cards at Dar Sa’ad alone; 539 for poor families and old men, 63 cards for the handicapped, 602 cards for other poor people. The society played an important role in submitting the lists and making things easy for the field supervisors from the ministry. In 1999, the society submitted lists to the 850 families in Dar Sa’ad and in districts such as Al-Basatin, Al-Maharik, Mosabin, Dar Mansoor, Al-Imad village, Al-Falahin village and Al-Lahook village. About 702 families from Dar Sa’ad, Al-Maharik and Mosabain were provided with aid, besides 263 families in Al-Basatin.
The society also supplies shrouds to poor families in cases of death, a sum of money, and some medicines. The society also pays for medical treatment expenses to some poor families. Dr. Abdul Bari Doghaish has already treated about 1200 poor patients during the past two years. Besides, he sometimes examines sick people in their houses.
Contributions of the Society to Education:
Ever since it was established in 1997, the society has played an important role in rendering services in so many fields, including education. It has distributed 300 bags for students in three schools in the town and 300 school uniforms. These were financed by the chairman of the society. Besides, Eid clothes and some notebooks and pens were distributed among orphans by a benevolent tailor in the town.
Other Contributions of the Society:
The society has also submitted a complete study including all the designs in regard to fixing electricity network in Al-Basatin area. It has also submitted lists of those who live in areas deprived of electric power. The society has also provided some help to the company involved in fixing the sewage system in Al-Basatin.
The society does also distribute sums of money not less than YR1000 and not more than YR 3000 during the fasting month of Ramadhan.
Dr. Abdul Bari Dughaish, member of the Society’s Board talked about Dar Sa’ad and said “I came to Dar Sa’ad for the first time with my family in 1964. During that time it was inhabited by the poor. In course of time things changed and civilization started to have its imprints on the residents there. Presently the area has grown bigger and inhabited by well-to-do and educated people including those coming from Somalia, returnees from Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, or those who were the victims of free market system.
When I finished my study in Germany, I came back to this town and started working and doing my best to relieve suffering of these people. The miserable conditions of people inhabiting this Dar Sa’ad attracted my and other benevolent businessmen, literary men, social dignitaries and politicians’ attention. Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to do something to improve the situation before it was too late. We established Dar Sa’ad Charity, Social & Sides Association in 1997 as a non-governmental organization. The society has been able to render services and assistance people despite all the difficulties standing at our face. Many of the difficulties we face are mainly because of the limited resources.
I have treated at my clinic so many cases since the establishment of the society, however we did not keep a detailed record of their number. During January 1998 and November 1999 about 1215 cases were treated free of charge. Besides, medicines were also dispensed in some cases. Sometimes we have to visit patients in their houses; about twenty visits were conducted from January to November 1999.
We are highly conscious that these efforts are not much and are not what we aim at, however, this is the best we could do according to our limited resources. We do welcome any support and contributions from people from inside and outside the country if they are interested in doing charitable work to alleviate the suffering of the afflicted, poor people.

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