Bahraini.TV

OFFICIALS yesterday tried to take away the only source of income for a jobless Bahraini mother, forced to sell water at the roadside.

Graduate Kauthar Abdulameer took to selling bottles of water to motorists in the heart of Manama last Saturday to increase the family income, after being unable to find work.

But her initiative was halted for several hours yesterday when police and municipality officials intervened, to stop her selling water near the Intercontinental Regency, Bahrain.

“At first, the police came and asked me several questions,” said Ms Abdulameer.

“I told them I was doing my work and asked them not to disturb me.

“But they told me I was not allowed to sell water by the roadside.

“They verbally warned me and asked me to remove all my water bottles from there, but I insisted.

“The officers left after some time and then came municipality representatives, who insisted that I should remove my bottles and said I was not allowed to sell water here.

“I told them I was doing it for the sake of my family and to earn money for them.

“After a long conversation, they left.”

The 26-year-old said she was really happy, as she has earned BD75 in four days.

“I am really happy as I earned BD75 in these days and it’s my first salary,” she told the GDN.

“Some people were so generous and felt pity over my situation.

“They gave me BD1 instead of 100 fils and when I went to give them back the balance, they drove away.”

The 26-year-old, who has an 18-month-old daughter, graduated from Bahrain University with a degree in community services in 2006, qualifying her for a job as a social worker.

Ms Abdulameer’s husband, Sadiq Jaffar, has a job as a co-ordinator at Bahrain University’s Applied Studies Department.

However, she said his BD525 monthly salary was not enough to support them and their daughter Fatima.

Mr Jaffar said he hated seeing his wife earning money this way, but said she was determined to bring in some extra cash.

Possible job offers have come in for Ms Abdulameer, since her plight was highlighted in Tuesday’s GDN.

Labour Ministry officials also met Ms Abdulameer later the same day, pledging to take up her case and find her a suitable job.

Three companies approached the GDN after reading Ms Abdulameer’s story, in which she claimed the door had been shut in her face by both the government and private sectors for the last four years.

The Golden Tulip Bahrain, Jobs4Bahrainis and The new Nans Centre for special needs children, which will open in Barbar in September, have offered to help.

Ms Abdulameer said yesterday that some Arabic newspapers quoted her saying that she wants to work only in a government office, which was not true.

“It’s not at all true that I just want to work in a government office, but some newspapers reported that I insist to work there,” she added.

“I would like to work anywhere, whether government or private sector.

“When I met Labour Ministry under-secretary Jameel Humaidan, I told him that I want to work anywhere, but with suitable timings.

“I also said I must work one shift and not two shifts, and that’s because I want to take care of my daughter.

“I can’t demand to work in a ministry office as I am jobless and of course beggars can’t be choosers.”

Neither Interior Ministry nor Manama Municipality officials were available for comments yesterday.