Kuwait donation drive raises KD1.7m

Cairo: A week after its launch, a state campaign raising donations to pay off defaulters’ debts, has collected more than KD1.7 million (about $5.5 million), an official source has disclosed.

The number of debtors registered in the assistance system since the campaign kicked off on March 14 has reached 1,100, while total donations surpassed KD 1.7 million offered by 9,579 donors, the source at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Social Affairs said, according to Al Qabas newspaper.

“The heavy pressure on the electronic system over the past few days caused delays in registering some cases. However, the system has been improved to ensure more applications are received,” the source added.

During the screening and review process, applications for assistance submitted by individuals who had previously benefited from such aid in the past years are rejected, a step aimed to ensure that financial support will reach those in need.

The campaign in its third consecutive year is undertaken and overseen by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Social Affairs in cooperation with charitable societies to settle debts amid strict restrictions.

A mechanism has been set up to ensure that aid reaches those who really need it through clear-cut controls and according to the highest transparency levels.

Registration for the campaign is processed electronically only via a central aid platform with no applicants allowed at the ministry or charitable groups.

The ministry said it directly supervises the implementation of the campaign via an electronic system that monitors the collection and disbursement of donations to ascertain compliance with the specified standards.

The beneficiary must be a Kuwaiti citizen, who is in default on non-criminal financial obligations, and must provide official documents proving inability to pay off.

The campaign does not cover debts arising from illegal or prohibited transactions, or debts related to telecom companies or informal financing entities.