As part of our occasional series exploring various areas of Kuwait, Kuwait Times visited Shaab to discover the main features of this area. Shaab is located in the Hawally governorate of Kuwait. It is divided by the Fahaheel Expressway between residential Shaab, blocks 1-7 and Shaab Al-Bahri, block 8. The residential area includes many homes, a family-friendly park and playground, a coop and several restaurants. Across the highway in Shaab AlBahri, mostly apartment buildings mark the skyline and dozens of small restaurants, baqalas, businesses, gyms and medical offices and private clinics can be found.

Saud Al-Faisal, 36, said Shaab has a mix of races, religions and nationalities. "The area is characterized by its vitality. It includes a social mix of Kuwaiti people of all categories. There is no sectarianism or racism here," he said. He added Shaab is a link between Daiya, Hawally and Salmiya, and people can easily enter and exit the area from the seaside or Road 30, which makes the area less crowded than others.

Abdulrahman Al-Jaafreh, 41, said the area is named after coral reefs in Arabic. "In the past, the sea was full of coral and sometimes it would be out of the water in the Shaab area during the rains. We were told that Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was the first person to inhabit the area, where he built the Shaab Palace," he told Kuwait Times.
Um Ali, 43, pointed out that Shaab's prime location attracts people from everywhere, but like many other areas of Kuwait, its roads need maintenance, "The government must develop the area, maintain the roads and walkways and add more services, because the area deserves more than this," she said.

She added that residents of Shaab need more green spaces and parks, speed bumps should be removed and streets need to be maintained. "It is a vital area, but we need more services to be more civilized. There are not enough workers and services in the area. Even Shaab Co-op Society needs more supplies and goods, as we always buy our groceries from other co-ops. Also, we need entertainment places for children here."

Shaab area photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By Faten Omar