SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 LOCAL

KUWAIT: Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorateís headquarters building. — Photos by Joseph Shagra Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate: Model of ideal Kuwaiti community Youngest population with 25 - 29 average range

Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate’s location on ’s map.

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: The Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate is the sixth and the last governorate founded in Kuwait; and the smallest among the other governorates. It was founded in 1999 and was named after the former ruler, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, who was well known as Mubarak Al-Kabeer. The governorate lies on an area of about 104 square kilometers and encompasses Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Adan, Qurain, Qusoor, Sabah Al-Salem, Messilah, Abu Fatirah, Abu Al-Hassaniya, Subhan, Fintas and . It has a population of around 233,000, the majority of which are Kuwaiti citizens. Moreover, the governorate has a young population: the majority of residents are aged between 25 and 29, of both genders.

Sameera Al-Qunaei, Director of Coordination and Follow-up at the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate speaks to Kuwait Times.

Model governorate materially. Besides the individuals, NGOs are also invited Mubarak Al-Kabeer is considered a model gover- to participate. We are also working to solve the prob- Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate norate and is mostly residential, apart from Subhan, lems of the unemployed in cooperation with the which is industrial. The population is expected to rise to Manpower and Government Restructuring Program.” 303,000 within the next five years after the housing Social • Founded: 27 November 1999. projects in Abu Fatirah, Funaitees, and Messilah are fin- Disabled and elderly ished. The projects have capacity for 70,000 people in participation is The governorate also cares for certain sectors of the • Area: 104 km2. total. community. “We held programs for the disabled and the • Population (total): 230,727 (as of June 2014). Kuwait Times interviewed Sameera Al-Qunaei, the main pillar for elderly. The governor also founded a diwaniya for the Director of Coordination and Follow-up at the Mubarak elderly in the traditional style. We also organize gradua- • Population (density): 2,300/km2 (as of June Al-Kabeer Governorate, to know more about the servic- tion parties for excellent students of the high schools in 2014). es the governorate provides to its residents, and to find improving the the different schools at the governorate. Then we also out what makes it a model governorate. worked on beautifying walk paths and different utilities. • Districts: Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Adan, Qurain, services at the We are also preparing some activities for the holy Qusoor, Sabah Al-Salem, Messilah, Abu Fatirah, Abu Social Institution month of Ramadan,” concluded Qunaei. Al-Hassaniya, Subhan, Fintas and Funaitees. “[Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate] is a social institu- tion and is part of the community that it serves, so the governorate Future projects • Governors social participation is the main pillar for improving the 1. The United Nations Human Settlements Program - - Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah (1999 - 2006). services at the governorate,” she said, adding that this is sustainable towns and cities set to the develop- - Sheikh Ali Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah (2006 done “by connecting the residents to the development then send it to the institution in charge. One of the ment plan. greatest problems in the governorate is the landfill site, 2014) process to reach a sustainable development.” 2. Agriculture and environment offices at cooperative - Ahmad Abdullatif Al-Rujaib (2014 - present). which is a danger to people’s lives and the environment. societies. Programs for the youth Our negotiations with different institutions including 3. Mubarak Al-Kabeer Children’s Cultural Center. “The majority of the residents are young people. So the Environment Public Authority, United Nations, 4. Voluntary committee. we made a survey, and we found out that the youths Kuwait Municipality and the Municipal Council have 5. Support team that provides psychiatric and social been going on for about a year to solve this problem,” member in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) need special programs that are related to the most services. through preparation of reports on children and participat- common problems, including drug addiction, accidents, she noted. 6. Studies and researches committee. The citizen service office can receive complaints ing member in the UN through the Women Empowerment and so we also deal with police stations to help them in 7. Risala Program, which teaches proper moral educa- Program. solving these problems and find plans to eliminate such three ways: by meeting the public and discussing the tion and spiritual lessons through lectures. phenomena,” said Qunaei. “Young people also need to issue with the governor, accepting letters submitted to 8. Evening clubs project. use their energy, so we are cooperating with the Public the complaints and suggestions committee, or sending 9. Health Cities Project (Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Sabah Authority for Youth and Sports in establishing parks and the complaint via email or Instagram. Al-Salem). youth centers in the area,” she noted. “The office registers each complaint with a serial 10. Renewable Energy Development Organization, number, and each department has a special record [for which includes rehabilitating the Qurain Park. One of the greatest Human development each complaint]. The employee-in-charge enters all 11. Solar energy for the governorate’s headquarters. Qunaei added that the governorate also takes care of information about the complaint. Sometimes, we invite 12. Human development project. the human development. “We present lectures in coop- the complainer to come to provide more information if 13. Employing young people and rehabilitating the problems in the eration with the ministry of education in executing vari- the complaint was not clear or if he demanded to meet graduates of the industrial institutions and estab- ous activities. The governorate also organizes several the governor. If the institution in charge to which the lishing a workshop for them. governorate is the social activities such as the National Day celebrations, complaint was addressed did not reply, the office will where we established a complete heritage village on urge a response. Finally, monthly and annual statistics Sameera Al-Qunaei holds a bachelors degree in Social the seaside near Messilah. The residents signed a peti- are prepared, and they contain the total number of Services and Psychology from Kuwait University. She is a landfill site, which is tion to make it a traditional cafÈ, so we referred that to complaints,” she added. former supervisor at the Ministry of Education, a member the Municipal Council and it is still under studying,” she of the board and the President of the Family Consultation a danger to people’s said. Prepare good citizens Center at the Socialists Union. She obtained various cours- “Our vision is preparing good citizens who actively es in human rights issues and is a consultant at the Kuwait Complaints participate in the community and build their country,” Society for Human Rights. She is a specialist in violence lives and the Furthermore, the governorate founded the Citizen Qunaei said. “The most important program is the initia- inside community and violence against women and chil- Service Office to receive complaints and suggestions. tive of social participation. Social participation includes dren, psychologist and specialist in dealing with children, environment “Whenever we receive any complaint, we study it and volunteering in development initiatives morally and certified trainer in human development, participating