Long wait times in the cold and rain
Residents face difficulties at social welfare office in Al-Qaim
ANBAR — Every day, dozens of people wait outside the social welfare office in the border town of Al-Qaim, Anbar, waiting for a chance to submit paperwork, but high demand means most people stand in the cold and rain waiting for their turn.
Visitors, including the elderly and sick, face harsh conditions without seating or shelter according to Hamza Obaid, a resident outside the office, who spoke to 964media. “We suffer from serious neglect,” Obaid said, urging local administration to intervene and address the issue.
To fix some of the issues, Luay Shukri, head of the Al-Qaim Youth Forum, said facilities were provided in the men’s section at the welfare office.
“We have done what we can, and our doors are always open to everyone,” Shukri said, highlighting an ongoing struggle with the lack of seating and protection against cold and rainy weather. He called on government bodies to offer more support to this segment of the population.
Abdullah Al-Akidi leads the social welfare office for men and emphasized that employees were working to facilitate processes for as many visitors as possible each day, despite limited resources and the absence of a dedicated building.
“We promise that we will spare no effort to serve those eligible [for welfare services] and are in talks with relevant authorities to allocate a separate building for us,” Al-Akidi said.
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