Bushra and Fatima are widows, both over 50 years of age, who have gone through ordeals in their lives and have lost touch with their families. They sleep in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque and use the restrooms there to wash their clothes. They met each other in front of the Grand Mosque. They are not the only ones. There are many other widows who live just like them. Bushra agreed to talk to Okaz/Saudi Gazette despite Fatima advising her not to say anything. Fatima, who left her son-in-law's apartment because she felt she was a burden to the family, was afraid that if Bushra talked about their situation, they would lose their home in the Grand Mosque. Bushra explains: “I'm a Saudi citizen and my husband of 30 years, died a few years ago. We didn't have any children. I found myself alone with no brothers or sisters. I could not rent a place because I didn't have enough money. So I decided to come and live here in the Grand Mosque. The social aid I receive from the government barely covers the cost of my food.” Bushra has been living in the Grand Mosque for two years. She wakes up every morning to perform Al-Fajr prayer and goes back to sleep for a few hours. Then she goes to buy breakfast and stays until Dhuhr. She eats lunch and washes her clothes. She has tried many times to ask for help from people around the Grand Mosque but no one has helped her. She says she has accepted her fate and would like to spend the rest of her life near the Grand Mosque. Her friend Fatima, who was at first afraid to talk, decided to take the risk. She explained: “Following my husband's death, my son died. One of my daughters took me in, but I found myself adding another burden on her, her husband and her children. I left my daughter's house because I did not want to cause any problems between her and her husband.” Fatima was relieved to find several other women living in the courtyards. The Social Security Organization in Makkah said that both widows applied for social aid and receive around SR850 every month. Yet Bushra and Fatima say this aid barely covers food expenses let alone accommodation. __
