Help The Needy in Kuwait This Winter!

A Mission of Mercy

November 2, 2011

Mother Teresa once said, "We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love."

Tis the start of autumn in Kuwait, which means winter is just around the corner.  While the cold season is relatively short-lived in Kuwait it can get quite cold - especially for the street sweepers, and others working in the labor industry.  More often than not they are under dressed for the rain & cold while they perform their work duties. It has been the goal of OH-Kuwait to provide winter warmth for our brothers & sisters in need since 2005. 

This year our goal is to provide winter warmth to 2,500 such workers each in one of three ways:  1) a winter warmth bag consisting of thermals, socks, gloves, and a hat, 2) a heavy-duty blanket, or 3) a coat. 

Will you help us?

Further to that goal is another important project concerning the maids living at their embassy's shelter.  We aim to provide each with a toiletry bag which contains: a toothbrush, toothpaste, body soap, shampoo, and sanitary napkins.  We estimate at this time there are more than 1,000 such shelter residents in need of these basic toiletries. 

Will you help us? 

We have determined that the average cost per person for either campaign is KD 4.  Here's how you can help: 

1) sponsor 1, 2 or 100 needy people by presenting us with the funds in which to purchase these items. 

 2) purchase & bag the aforementioned items (for a set # of people) and bring them to our premises before December 1st, and we'll deliver them to the needy (our address will be provided upon request). 

 3) Or directly pay our wholesale merchant for the # of workers you wish to sponsor and he'll deliver your pre-paid goods to our premises, whereby our volunteers will bag them and deliver them (contact details will be provided upon request). 

Mother Teresa was also noted for saying, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." Your provision of support will mean a great deal to those receiving the help.  Any of these means of service could be managed individually or corporately - you choose; but DO choose to help, please. 

We always welcome new volunteers to sort, bag, and distribute aide to Kuwait's neediest ~ won't you join us? 

Sincerely,

Sheryll Mairza

Founder

operationhopekuwait@yahoo.com

Kuwait's "Other Story" of Maid Abuse

Kuwait has been on the Human Rights Watchlist for some time now due to human trafficking & abuse- specifically abuse to maids. I came across the following opinion Article & felt it was fair to let Kuwaiti's air some frustration when it comes to maids. I know many people will relate.Maid Abuse & SponsorsThe Other Side Of The Story

I do sympathize with domestic workers who went through extremely difficult and painful experiences, victimized by some inhumane sponsors. However, instead of only prioritizing the coverage of such crimes in our local media, we should not neglect to look at “the other side of the story.”
In other words, our local media and even human rights organizations need to take into account those situations in which some domestic workers do actually abuse their sponsors! This kind of domestic-sponsors abuse does not receive enough attention in our local media nor in the reports of some human rights organizations. In fact, one notices a certain bias in such reports against Kuwaiti and expatriate sponsors.

Some domestic workers abuse their sponsors. Such incidents of abuse may not reach the level of cruel physical torture, (though it sometimes happens against the sponsor’s children), but quite often they take the form of lack of irresponsible behavior on the part of the domestic worker.
Moreover, some domestic workers in Kuwait show a clear lack of commitment to their workplace. Furthermore, some domestic workers exploit their sponsor and use them as a dispensable tool, a mere vehicle transfer residency or to look for a “better” paying-job.
What tends to capture the attention of our local media and international human rights organizations tends to be the other part of the ugly story of exploitation and abuse.
Expatriate and citizen sponsors being abused and exploited by some domestic helpers is usually removed from the picture, sometimes intentionally.

I suggest setting up a national panel to discuss the kind of abuses some domestic workers commit against their sponsors’, their sponsors’ family members and other domestic workers in the house.
For example, I was approached once by an expatriate sponsor of a domestic helper.
She thanked me for focusing on the issues relating to domestic workers, yet she drew my attention to what she described as “the other side of the story.”
She explained what happened to her personally: her maid, even though she received a very good salary in comparison to others in her job situation, she decided one day to leave the house, without any clear reason.

In fact, that maid contacted her Embassy’s Labour Office and filed a complaint against her sponsor because she wanted a better-paying job! Such an action goes against all rules and regulations governing officially recognized workers’ contracts.
And of course, due to the huge number of abuse cases against housemaids, the general wisdom in our society tends to blame the sponsor, rather than the maid.
Ultimately, the domestic helper relationship with their sponsor should be governed by already existing labor laws.

However, I would ask the concerned authorities to look into this issue deeper. Our government needs to reexamine the other side of the story, especially in cases when the sponsor gets abused, gets exploited and lied to/ about by domestic workers.
Some Labour offices in certain Embassies in Kuwait need to maintain professional attitudes in dealing with such maid/sponsor problems. I have never heard yet about a labour office siding with the abused sponsor! Prove me wrong!

khaledaljenfawi@yahoo.com

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By: Khaled Aljenfawi
The Arab Times Online