MANY sociologists and family counselors have agreed that there is a dire need for establishing a national fund to support divorcées, widows and orphans in the country. These calls come at a time when there are no official or accurate statistics about the number of people in these three categories. Experts say the efforts of all authorities should be united to set up the fund and a mechanism for disbursing aid wherever deserving recipients are located in the Kingdom. Speaking to Al-Riyadh newspaper, family counselor Muhammad Salim Al-Aqeel said there is nothing new about the idea of the fund as it has been suggested before in countries such as Tunisia and Algeria. But there is a pressing need to establish such a fund, given the increase in the number of people in the three categories. “We need strict criteria for distributing financial aid among those who are in dire need of it. We'll coordinate with all charity organizations around the country and receive their donations for the fund,” Al-Aqeel said, adding that the primary goal of the fund is to cover the basic day-to-day needs of divorcées, widows and orphans. Double standards Abdulrahman Al-Qarash, member of National Family Safety Program, said charity organizations exercise double standards when it comes to disbursing aid to the three categories. He alleged that sometimes aid is given to those who do not really need it while those who need it are ignored. Moreover, the conditions imposed by many charities make it difficult for deserving candidates to receive aid. The fund, according to Al-Qarash, will end such problems and unify the efforts of all charitable organizations under the same umbrella. The private sector should be given permission to support the fund and certain percentages of zakat (compulsory alms) and income tax as well as part of the budget of the Ministry of Social Affairs should go directly to the fund. “If we say the ministry's annual budget is SR20-25 billion, the fund only needs SR5 billion a year. SR3 billion can come from the budget while the remaining SR2 billion from the private sector, zakat and charitable donations,” he explained. Al-Qarash believes the fund can be self-sustaining after 5 years if a portion of its budget is placed in a sovereign investment fund. “If the fund receives SR5 billion for 5 years, that will give administrators SR25 billion which they can place in a sovereign investment fund, making it self-sustaining and thus, eliminating the need for additional government aid,” he added. Al-Qarash said the money could be invested in a strong investment portfolio in the name of and for the benefit of divorcées, widows and orphans. “Of course, such big project must be supervised by expert economists selected by the ministry,” he said. The profits of the fund can be distributed monthly to beneficiaries in the form of stipends not less than SR3,000, provided that beneficiaries submit proof of financial need. Another idea is to give the needy micro loans and help them start a small business while give them long-term repayment options. “The fund can provide medical insurance to orphans, widows and divorcees and pay their rent and utility bills. The fund can also pay the tuition fees of institutes and colleges for orphans and the children of divorcees and widows,” he added. Naeema Al-Zamil, president of Wud Foundation for Family Solidarity and Development, stressed the importance of setting up such funds to prevent family disintegration because of divorce or the death of the breadwinner. “There is no doubt that such a fund will reduce the financial burden on the Ministry of Social Affairs and provide the needy with a dependable source of income,” she said.
