In the first years after a windfall, the stamps of a country often show shiny new buildings and factories. When the income proves long lived, we get to see stamps like this, where a society grapples with providing extra help to those among them left behind. A while back, I did an American stamp from the early seventies like that, see https://the-philatelist.com/2017/10/16/how-honoring-challenged-children-can-go-very-wrong/ . Today we can compare what was being done in Saudi Arabia a decade later. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
There are too many emblems on this stamp. While some help is directly coming from the government and some is routed though non government organizations that rely on the philanthropy of the Royal family, in Saudi Arabia that is really the same thing. At first glance of this stamp, you might think that Saudis have to rely on the UN for such aid as do poor countries. You can’t let the people think that, especially if it is not true. Where is the King on this stamp?
Todays stamp is issue A217, a 50 Halalas stamp issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on October 3rd, 1987. It was a two stamp issue in different denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $1.10 unused.
The idea that the disabled are worthy of dignity and help to live a useful life in Arabia dates back to the Quran and the story of Abd-Allah ibn Umm-Maktum. He was a blind man and an early convert to Mohammed. He once approached Mohammed with a question while he was preaching to tribal chiefs in Mecca. Mohammed was annoyed at the interruption until he was rebuked by Allah for not showing extra kindness to the blind man. From then on Umm-Maktum was shown the appropriate accommodation and he responded by volunteering to fight in the 636 AD battle of Qadisiyya were he was a standard bearer and was killed. Apparently Shias don’t interpret this story the same way.
In modern times, a high proportion of Saudis face the challenges of a disability. A partial reason for this is the extremely common practice of marrying a first cousin. For males the most common cause of a disability is having been in a car accident. For females, depression grips as many as 46% of them.
Saudi Arabia has over time sought to do more for the disabled. Starting in 1958 children with disabilities were allowed to go to school. By 1962, programs were started to give them extra help once there. In 1972, it was decided to provide a monthly stipend to the disabled tied to them participating in vocational programs. There are now over 350 day care centers in the Kingdom to allow loved ones a break from the care.
In 1992, Saudi Arabia went farther to combat and prevent disabilities. Former Astronaut Prince Sultan founded the King Salmon Center for Disabilities Research. In addition to research, the center funds screenings for unborn babies for 16 different disorders.
There are those that say that enough is not yet being done. They point to the separate medical facilities for females that are not always accessible and the stigma still attached to mental disabilities.
Well my drink is empty and so I will have to wait until Monday when there will be another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.