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 spend it all on one meal of foul moudamas or macaroni.
But Om Fady had her eye on something much more valuable: she wanted to educate her son. She needed that money—and much more—to pay his school fees.
So here is what she did. She went out and purchased a doll for two pounds. She then sold it for four pounds, making a profit. Om Fady kept purchasing toys and selling them for a profit. Today, she earns about 50 pounds a month, just enough to pay her son’s school fees.
But not enough to lift them out of poverty.
Fortunate for Om Fady, her son was enrolled in our Not Alone program which provided him with school fees and a mentor, among other benefits. This freed up the money she was earning to help support her family.
The truth is that there are countless widows in Egypt barely scraping by. Many have the creativity to do a lot with a little, but they still need that extra bit of help that will lift their children out of poverty.
*Names and photos have been changed to protect the privacy of participants.