Social media tools, the new saviour for those in distress

It's time to prove that all critics of social media networks were wrong, for they have emerged the best tool to help people suffering from various kinds of difficulties.

Be it a homeless widow, a dad who wanted to save his son’s eyesight or a poor youth who hardly had any bucks to afford an Iftar meal, support poured in after posts calling for help went viral on social media. The latest in line to receive help was Bahraini Ahmed Abdul Ghani and his family, whose ordeal was shared by many on social media networks.

It was social activist Abdullah Al Hammadi who requested people to help the Ghani family. Abdul Ghani, who suffers from a physical disability since birth, lives with his wife and three children in a dilapidated apartment. The family faced poverty to the extent that the children had no beds to sleep on.

The breadwinner is a disabled individual and has only accumulated debts while his wife can’t work as she suffers from many diseases, Mr Al Hammadi told Tribune. “The family was in a miserable state. And there was no food to eat. I filmed a one-and-a-half minute video and posted it on all social media networks, calling for help and it really worked out,” he explained.

Mr Al Hammadi said that immediately after he posted the video, which instantly received more than 2,000 views on Twitter alone, he started receiving dozens of phone calls. “Many came forward to help the family and I was overwhelmed. “I know a lot of poor Bahraini families, who are shy and feel embarrassed when it comes to seeking help from charity funds and societies. “But I think we are duty bound to preserve the dignity of these families while helping them meet basic needs and we must always understand that social media is the best tool to facilitate help to these families.”