A number of orphans here complain that they are not being treated with respect and dignity by social workers and are ignored by the Ministry of Social Affairs. There are about 9,000 orphans sponsored by the government in the Kingdom, with 1,200 living in Jeddah. Nisreen, 26, a female orphan who spent her childhood and youth at Jeddah's Orphans Education Home, told the newspaper how she suffered for a number of years because of the alleged ill-treatment by social workers. She lived under the care of the Ministry of Social Affairs for 26 years before she was moved to a foster family's home. She said the ministry “does not heed our complaints” and refers our grievances to social workers and supervisors “who are the main reason for our suffering in the first place”. “Social workers think they are superior to orphans, they are suspicious, always making accusations, they marginalize orphans and do not care about them,” she said. Nisreen said social workers do not treat orphans well and have no credibility. “An orphan girl is promised by the social worker that the ministry will bear the costs of her study, but when the girl applies officially she is faced with stalling tactics and carelessness. She would be told that the ministry has cancelled the program, which is not true,” she said. The rights of orphans living under the ministry's care are “stolen”, said Nisreen. “For example a foster family is always right [for the ministry]. If a girl living with a foster family complained to her [assigned] social worker of bad treatment, being beaten, denied her allowance, abused verbally or physically, and sometimes sexually harassed, the foster family would be summoned and would deny the accusation. After that the girl would be forced to sign an undertaking that she would not complain about the family again.” The ministry believes an orphan girl has no credibility and her statements are lies, she said. “Once I complained about a social worker who accused me of escaping from the home and being absent for a period of time, which was wrong. But I was mocked [by officials at the facility],” said Nisreen. She said she only wants stability in life and to be treated with respect and appreciation just like any member of society. “I sent a letter to the minister and if he does not bring me justice, Allah Almighty will, sooner or later,” she added. Nisreen said the home needs social workers who would treat orphans as their mothers or sisters, meaning with compassion and mercy, to compensate for not having the love of parents. Unfortunately, for most orphans this compassion and mercy is not provided, and the ministry communicates with them only through social workers and supervisors, Nisreen added. A social worker whose name was mentioned by Nisreen was approached by the newspaper for comment. She asked to remain anonymous and rejected Nisreen's accusations. She said orphans are provided with food, clothes and accommodation. Salwa, another orphan woman who is married to an orphan man and has a seven-year-old daughter, said the ministry did not assist her when she was sentenced by the courts to pay more than SR20,000 to an installments company and is facing imprisonment. “The Social Affairs has only watched me going from one problem to another.” Salwa, who has been an orphan all her life, said she has dealt with many problems in her life. She blames the Ministry of Social Affairs for not helping her have contact with her daughter. Fahd, 30, who was also brought up in the home, said he struggled for years to get a Civil Status identification card after going to “every government department”. He blamed the Ministry of Social Affairs for not helping him as a former resident of the orphanage. “But I finally got it myself,” he said. __
