Citizens' Advice And Care Centre (Al-Najaf branch).

The Centre's staff visited the family of the unwell Thajil Awdah, 65 years old and afflicted with cerebral thrombosis, to observe the situation of the family and to study its needs. They talked with his wife, Balwah Aboud, who cares for the family composed of three sons - the oldest of whom is no more than 15 years old and yet he works for a daily wage. The second son is 12 years old and he works as a seller of bags in one of the popular markets in Al-Najaf.

During the observation of this family's state of affairs it appeared that they live in extremely bad conditions, inhabiting an area unfit for human habitation due to the high proportion of groundwater in turn giving rise to a high proportion of humidity which causes many of the illnesses among the populace living there. Furthermore, the two-roomed house is threatened with collapse at any moment - in addition to the roof which pours rainwater off it from every side. The mother (Mrs Balwah) strives to guarantee a bit of life by collecting morsels of bread from the garbage, then dries what bread she picks up under the sun's rays and then sells it as animal fodder - but for a meagre price. Just as she gathers fizzy drink cans and sells them so she can she provide sustenance or to buy the medicines needed by her sick husband.