By Naseeb Jaleel
Expats often come together to form associations that suit their tastes and talents. Along with socio-cultural programmes, some expat organisations in Qatar run welfare schemes that benefit members when they face an adversity.
Three Indian organisations, namely Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), Thrissur District Sauhrida Vedi (TDSV) and Indian Islamic Association (IIA) run family security schemes that financially support families of deceased or permanently disabled members.
Similarly, Sri Lankan Majlis Qatar (SLMQ) and Philippine Nurses Association Qatar Chapter offer educational and charitable assistance to their members.
The financial assistance schemes of the three Indian groups have some similarities. The KMCC, one of the first and largest organisations of expats in Qatar, calls its security scheme Social Security Scheme, while TDSV, an organisation for the welfare of expats from Thrissur district of Kerala, calls its scheme Kudumba Suraksha Paddhathi, and the IIA calls its scheme Swanthanam.
At least 4,000 individuals are enrolled in each of these schemes. Under these schemes each member has to contribute QR7-10 when any other member dies or suffers 75 percent permanent disability. If a member dies or becomes permanently disabled, KMCC, TDSV and IIA pay Rs500,000 to that member’s family. Under this scheme members can also get financial aid of up to Rs100,000-200,000 for treatment of cancer and cardiovascular or kidney-related diseases.
“We have given Rs500,000 to the families of five deceased members in 2014, and in 2013, 14 persons benefitted from the Kudumba Suraksha Paddhathi. Four thousand expats from Thrissur district are part of the scheme and they renew their membership every year. ” said V K Salim, president of TDSV.
Members of TDSV can also make use of the Karunya scheme, which provides financial assistance for treatment of cancer, heart disease and renal ailments by paying QR10 and annual renewal fee of QR3. Under the scheme, Rs50,000 is given for cancer treatment for a family member of a member, for treatment of kidney ailments of a member or his/her spouse, and for a member’s open heart surgery. If a subscriber to the Karunya scheme dies, Rs10,000 is given to the family.
“One affluent businessman who had luxury apartments and vehicles in Qatar and Kerala suffered losses in his business. At about the same time, he became bedridden after both his kidneys failed. When we got a request for support from him, we could only provide a meagre sum as he was not a member of the scheme, and we were reluctant to give that small amount to that formerly rich man. We were shocked when we came to know that even that little amount was a big sum for him in his condition. Such cases inspire us to take up new welfare schemes,” said P Muhsin, TDSV Karunya project coordinator.
The TDSV pays a monthly pension of Rs1,500 for two years to those who have been its members for two years and have returned to India. It also offers interest-free loans of up to Rs100,000 to TDSV members who earn a maximum salary of QR1,500 a month, for meeting the marriage or hospital expense of a family member.
The organisation also provides scholarships to meritorious children of members. Other TDSV welfare activities include annual medical and blood donation camps.
The KMCC launched its Social Security Scheme in 2000 after collecting QR10 from each member. Till date, 147 families, including the families of 142 deceased members and five permanently disabled members have benefited from the scheme. Since 2006, KMCC has been giving a gift worth Rs50,000 to members returning to India for good, as part of its Sneha Poorvam KMCC project. In all, 534 members have received this farewell gift from KMCC so far.
“This July, KMCC will flag off our new umbrella project, Sneha Suraksha, in which a member has to pay QR1 daily to avail of the benefits. By paying QR1 every day, participants in this scheme will get financial aid of Rs200,000 for treatment of cancer and kidney diseases, which are on the rise among expatriates. Once they end their expat life after spending ten years or more in Qatar, they can take home Rs200,000. The amount will be Rs100,000 if they have spent five to nine years in Qatar. All members who have spent five years or less in Qatar get Rs50,000.
“In addition, Sneha Suraksha scheme members’ families are entitled to Rs600,000 if a member dies or suffers permanent physical disability. Those returning home from the Gulf also get this benefit if they die within two years of their return. Social Security coordinators of KMCC take care and coordinate all activities related to the scheme to ensure that the fruits of these projects reach the 21,400 KMCC members,” said KMCC General Secretary Abdul Nasar Nachi.
Four thousand expats benefit from the IIA’s family security scheme, Swanthwanam. All interested expatriates can join the scheme by paying QR25 as enrolment fee and QR10 on the death of a member of the scheme. Families of the scheme’s members get Rs500,000 on the death of the member, even if this happens two years after the member has returned to India.
The IIA is trying to collaborate with private hospitals in Qatar to get discounted treatment charges for ‘Swanthwanam’ members. It offers free air tickets to ailing members from the low-income category who cannot bear their travel expenses. Its volunteers periodically visit patients in hospitals and extend support to the needy, said C H Najeeb, secretary of the IIA Social Service Wing.
When a lone expat of any nationality dies in Qatar, KMCC and IIA help complete the paperwork and official formalities for burial of the corpse in Qatar or for sending it to the home of the deceased.
Sri Lankan Majlis Qatar (SLMQ), the leading community association of the Sri Lankan community in the country, has been conducting social, educational, charitable and cultural activities for the past 13 years in Qatar as well as in Sri Lanka.
The organisation has played a role in rehabilitating victims of terrorist activities in Sri Lanka. It paid salaries to 35 preschool teachers for several years for providing education to children displaced by war.
Scholarships have been awarded to hundreds of needy students for several years to continue their ordinary level, advanced level, university and religious education. The SLMQ has helped several schools establish libraries and science labs. It has also provided initial investment for printing of books to learn Arabic and the Koran.
The SLMQ provides financial assistance for setting up vocational training centres for women and also distributes medical equipment to hospitals. Single mothers get financial assistance for starting self-employment ventures.
Along with other socio-cultural and sports activities, SLMQ organises an annual symposium, blood donation campaign and beach cleaning activities in Qatar, said Ameerudeen Moulana, president of SLMQ.
Mark Santos, vice president of Philippine Nurses Association Qatar Chapter, said his organisation provides assistance and guidance on matters concerning socio-economic welfare and political rights to nursing professionals from the Philippines.
Hundreds of members make use of the PNA dormitory at an affordable price. Life members of PNA who have completed their regular membership for three consecutive years can get Philippine Peso 12,500 from a Mutual Aid fund and regular members can get Philippine Peso 3,000. In the event of death, the next of kin of members are entitled to a burial fee of Philippine Peso 3,000, which ensures proper burial of the corpse.
The PNA also provides higher education opportunities to meritorious individuals who have been members for three years, offering them grants/scholarships for higher studies.
THE PENINSULA
