Dos Jayakumar, Indian consul for passports, opens the expat service center in Jeddah on Friday.

A first of its kind service center has been opened in Jeddah to provide Indian expats with legal guidance on labor issues and health and counseling.

Dos Jayakumar, Indian consul for passports, opened on Saturday the “Pravasi Sevana Kendra” in the presence of community leaders representing various cultural and political organizations.

“This is the first time such a help desk is opened in Jeddah,” said KTA Muneer, president of OICC’s western regional committee. The center will operate at Impala Gardens in Sharafiya from 8.30 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday. “Experts will be present at the center to provide various services to expats. We’ll do our best to solve their problems or at least guide them,” he added.

He said Indian Consul General B.S. Mubarak has extended full support to make the center a success.

Muneer said wrong information given by incompetent individuals and agencies was one of the main problems facing expats.

The center’s opening coincides with the International Volunteers Day. Community leaders expressed hope that other organizations would also open similar centers in different parts of the Kingdom.

Professor Ismail Maritheri of King Abdulaziz University, in his speech on volunteerism, emphasized the need to live for others. “What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for others?,” he commented.

Chemban Moideenkutty, a community leader urged the center to provide e-services like Aadhar Card registration and guidance to job seekers.

Chemban Abbas, a volunteer, said: “We have a great example from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in volunteer services.”

The Prophet helped an old woman by carrying a heavy load to her house. “While walking with the woman, she advised him not to follow the new Prophet in the town, without knowing he was the Prophet. When she learned he was the Prophet, she did not hesitate to embrace Islam by declaring the Shahadah,” he said.

 
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