Education

Our Basic Education Programme has been a catalyst for social transformation, reaching close to half a million students over recent decades. It uses a “learn and liberate yourself” methodology that cultivates the consciousness of learners — enabling them to voice their perspectives, work together on the challenges of daily life, and develop practical solutions of their own.

The programme works primarily, though not exclusively, with girls and women, across Cairo, Alexandria, Minia, Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Aswan. It runs alongside vocational training at the Kafr El Sisi centre and harassment-prevention work with teenagers in Alexandria.

Children at risk

“Many Egyptian children miss out on the benefits of education because they are from vulnerable groups and have lost shelter and family.”

Caritas Egypt runs nurseries and medico-social centres serving around 2,000 children — safe places where vulnerable children can learn, play and build social competence. Alongside this we provide maternal health education, nutritional support and vaccination campaigns, and we work patiently on family reunification and social reintegration for children living on the street.

Women empowerment

“Women play a crucial role in the (re)construction of communities” and cross cultural, ethnic and religious borders more readily than men. Yet they face genital mutilation, early marriage and limited voice in the decisions that shape their lives.

We work with women through literacy for girls and women, health awareness, rights education and entrepreneurship training. Strengthening women’s economic participation, educational access and cultural involvement benefits whole communities — not only the women themselves.

Refugees & migration

Caritas Egypt’s refugee programme has been running since 1977, assisting refugees and asylum seekers from many countries of origin. We provide “counselling and follow-up besides a variety of services, such as medical services, vocational training, monthly subsistence allowance, and emergency grants.”

We implement UNHCR initiatives on financial assistance and affordable primary healthcare, and we mobilise quickly when disaster strikes — as we did after the 1992 earthquake and the flooding that followed. The LEO programme opens learning and employability routes for refugee, asylum-seeker and migrant children and youth in Egypt.

Health

“We aim to raise the health awareness of citizens, rural and urban, to enhance responsible behaviour towards their own and their family’s health, mother-child care, and addressing malpractices.”

We train health professionals and work with governmental, local and international partners on prevention. Where care is needed, we provide it: low-cost clinics, leprosy and HIV/AIDS treatment, and rehabilitation for people recovering from drug addiction. Our Socio-Medical Centres serve families in Matareya, Hagana, Kafr El Sisi, Omrania and Boulaq.

Persons with disabilities

The Caritas SETI Centre — Support, Education, Training for Inclusion — was established in 1986 to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families.

SETI takes “a family and community oriented approach, which considers the immediate environment to be the main factor for the rehabilitation and integration process for people with disabilities.” By building cooperation between skilled organisations and local communities, the centre keeps the cost of services affordable while opening the door to genuine inclusion, including through its inclusive education work.

Micro-credit & entrepreneurship

“Through small loans, we stimulate local entrepreneurship for socio-economic development.”

Since 1970 we have supported youth, women and men with both microloans and the technical guidance to make a venture work. Alongside finance we run vocational training for youth and adults aged 16 to 45, to strengthen the skills and confidence of the potential labour force.

Youth leadership

Young people join human, cultural and social activities where they discover their own potential and cultivate creativity, responsibility and commitment.

The programme trains social leadership, advocacy and lobbying skills; runs anti-addiction and substance abuse prevention; offers creative and cultural experiences that broaden perspective; and builds entrepreneurial competence. Youth clubs operate in Alexandria and Cairo.

Integrated community development

“Development is not a gift, it is a human right.”

In West Nubareya, 80 km west of Alexandria, Caritas Egypt has established nine Community Development Associations since 2002, each with its own Women Development Club. The work began in 1992 supporting university graduates settling newly reclaimed desert land, and later grew to include farmers from the Delta displaced by changes in agricultural policy.

Recent programme activity includes 44 capacity-building training days for association leadership and volunteers, 28 community events across the villages, 24 monthly seminars with 623 participants, 18 veterinary convoys serving 3,256 people, health and environmental campaigns, vocational training and nutrition education, and financial assistance to 198 small-scale female traders. The nine associations and their women’s clubs now lead community interventions on their own.