by kbarsoum | Sep 4, 2012 | Approaches to Charity and Development
Brothers Nadir and Hisham endured back-to-back loss when their mother died just one year after their father passed away. They continued to live in their tiny apartment in the slums of Helwan. A kind uncle who lived in the same building did what he could for the boys,...
by kbarsoum | Aug 28, 2012 | "The Widow's Cause", Approaches to Charity and Development
Om Fady* had no savings and only six Egyptian pounds (about $1 USD) in her pocket. She was an illiterate widow living with her only son in Alexandria. What could she do with that money? For six Egyptian pounds, she could buy aish baladi for four days. Or, she could...
by kbarsoum | Aug 21, 2012 | Approaches to Charity and Development, Sponsorship
Though she had never been to southern Egypt and didn’t quite know what to expect, Basma Abdel Malek was still determined to meet her sponsored child, Manal. It was the dream visit she had been planning for a year. So last year, the 32-year-old bank employee from...
by kbarsoum | Aug 7, 2012 | Approaches to Charity and Development
Sometimes, innocent drawings are windows to tragedy. When Heba* started drawing and her Coptic Orphans Rep asked the right questions, a horrifying event unfolded. The ancient African practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, (FGM/C) known in Egypt as “female...
by kbarsoum | Jul 26, 2012 | Approaches to Charity and Development, Diaspora
A few months ago, Coptic Orphans held a High Achievers Ceremony celebrating children and youth who did great things: excelled academically, overcame tough challenges and perfected their talents. Now, with the results of Thanaweya Amma (least year of high school)...
by kbarsoum | Jun 27, 2012 | Approaches to Charity and Development, Serve To Learn
The following is a guest post from Serve to Learn alumnus Mariam Magar, who talks about how Coptic Orphans goes beyond handouts to help address the lies that trap children in poverty, and so works to strengthen Egypt as a whole. I was blessed to join Coptic Orphans’...
