Saudi Gazette Are you facing difficulties in your married life? Do you need to talk to an expert who can solve your family problems? If yes, you are welcome to call a Al-Mawaddah, a charitable organization in Jeddah that supports troubled members of the community and gives them emotional and mental support, which they need to overcome their social and family problems. The name of the organization itself, ‘Mawaddah' which literally means love and affection, mirrors the type of reform it hopes to achieve in order to sustain stable and content marital relationships The organization received over 28,000 phone calls within the past ten months, Dr. Anas bin Abdul Wahab Zar'a, Vice President of the organization, told Okaz/ Saudi Gazette. He pointed out that the organization has 14 counselors on board to answer calls and the team comprises of both men and women who specialize in various fields such as Islamic shariah, psychology, social work, and child development. They are trained to give emotional support and practical advice that will direct the caller to find solutions to his/her problem. Additional professional consultants are also available to supervise the calls and assist the counselor in offering the best possible guidance to the caller. The telephone service provides immeasurable relief especially for women who may lack transportation to actually visit the center to seek help. Moreover, many women refrain from getting help out of fear of physical assault, or ridicule, or shame, since it is considered taboo in most Arab cultures for women to complain or speak up. The telephone call delivers counseling services in the comfort of her home while ensuring her privacy and safety, and keeping her pride from any social stigma intact. Dr. Wahab Zar'a added that the counselors provides stress management techniques to callers and helps them discover and nurture their coping skills. The distressed person is encouraged to view the problem from a different perspective since often, taking a whole new approach may easily solve a problem. The organization has received over 3,000 calls within a month from individuals willing to seek help and advice for their problems and their number is 671-6655. Al-Mawaddah announced with pride that their telephone service saved many marriages that could have ended up in divorce. __
