Charity begins at home: RAF to raise QR128m for repaying bad loans

Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior has launched a campaign to collect donations of QR128m to repay loans of 124 defaulting citizens including 13 women.
The campaign “Naffis Kurbathum w Lam Shamlahum” (solve their problems and help them reunite) aims to set free citizens serving jail sentence, and to rescue those who have received court verdict to repay the loans or go to prison, RAF officials said at a press conference yesterday.
“The campaign supervising committee does not accept direct requests from loan defaulters, it is being referred by the authorities concerned, said Dr Mohamad bin Rashid Al Marri, Head of the Community Service Department at RAF.
“All 124 loan defaulting cases have been referred by the departments concerned at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Interior and other authorities concerned”, said Al Marri.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Al Marri said, “This is a special campaign only for Qatari citizens, expatriates can submit their requests seeking help for repaying loan or any other financial support to the Community Service Department at a branch of RAF in Al Duhail.
“Under the campaign, a series of lectures and seminars will be organised to create awareness about dire consequences of loans. Some income generation projects will also be implemented for the beneficiaries to help them return to normal life.”
“RAF gives priority to Qatari citizens in its programmes because charity begins at home, said Al Marri.
“The Ministry of Interior supports RAF campaign for loan defaulters and gives priority to the prisoners and their families, said Lieutenant Colonel Jabir Ali Al Baridi, representative from the Ministry and Head of the Supervising Committee for Campaign. The Ministry encouraged all social initiatives because it is needed for social stability, said Al Baridi.
The campaign launched ahead of the Holy month of Ramadan because most Muslims prefer to give zakat (alms) in this moth. The idea behind the campaign is to approach the donors asking them to allocate a portion of their zakat for loan defaulters to save them and their social life.
Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohamad Al Buaynain, official spokesperson of the campaign urged companies and individuals to give part of their alms and general donations to rescue the loan defaulters. “Zakat could be used to repay the loans of defaulters as they came under one of the eight categories that are allowed to take alms, said Al Buaynain. The campaign aims at supporting to the most deserving people at their tough time. I hope the collection will exceed the target and more people suffering from bad loan could benefit, said Shikh Al Buaynain.