Coptic Orphans Support Association

COPTIC ORPHANS IMPROVES THE LIVES OF ORPHANS AND OTHER VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN EGYPT BY PROVIDING BASIC NEEDS, EDUCATION, AND MENTORING SO THAT THEY MAY REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - NOT ALONE SERVES OVER 12,403 ORPHANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN 60 DIOCESES IN EGYPT. EACH CHILD IN NOT ALONE, THROUGH A MENTORING AND NURTURING RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF COPTIC ORPHANS' MORE THAN 550 CHURCH-BASED VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATIVES, OR "REPS," RECEIVES THE PROTECTION, SUPPORT, AND CONFIDENCE THAT WAS LOST WHEN THEIR FATHER DIED OR ABANDONED THEM. THE EMPHASIS OF NOT ALONE IS NOT ON CHARITY, BUT RATHER ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF CHILDREN AND THOSE AROUND THEM. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS GAIN THE RESOURCES TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, AS WELL AS THE COURAGE TO BECOME CHANGE-MAKERS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. COPTIC ORPHANS ADDRESSES BOTH IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM NEEDS SO THAT NOT ALONE CHILDREN CAN DEAL SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES THEY FACE. BECAUSE COPTIC ORPHANS FOCUSES ON EDUCATION AS THE PRIMARY TOOL TO EMPOWER CHILDREN TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT, WELL-ADJUSTED ADULTS, NOT ALONE PRIORITIZES GIVING THEM LITERACY AND OTHER SKILLS THAT HELP THEM SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. THE CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP THEIR GOD-GIVEN TALENTS SO THAT THEY CAN OVERCOME THEIR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRANSFORM FUTURE GENERATIONS. EACH OF THE REPS IS NOMINATED BY THEIR BISHOP IN THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH. THE REPS WORK WITH FATHERLESS FAMILIES IN SOME OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES IN EGYPT, FROM THE SLUMS OF CAIRO TO REMOTE RURAL VILLAGES. EACH REP HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH 15-25 CHILDREN, AND SERVES EACH BY: VISITING THE CHILD ON A REGULAR BASIS IN THEIR HOME TO ASSESS AND PROVIDE FOR BASIC NEEDS AND ADDRESS UNDERLYING PROBLEMS ROOTED IN THE HOME LIFE OF THE CHILD.CONNECTING THE CHILD AND THEIR MOTHER AND SIBLINGS TO ASSISTANCE IN AREAS SUCH AS ACADEMIC TUTORING AND MENTORING FOR SPECIAL TALENTS OR NEEDS.EDUCATING AND ADVOCATING FOR FAMILIES TO ACCESS CIVIL RIGHTS SUCH AS BIRTH CERTIFICATES, GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED WIDOWS' PENSIONS, LAND RIGHTS, AND GOVERNMENT IDS.GATHERING CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS IN SPECIALIZED WORKSHOPS THAT BUILD SKILLS IN LITERACY, LEADERSHIP, COMPUTERS, HOUSEHOLD FINANCE, RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING, CULTURAL APPRECIATION, JOB READINESS, AND INCOME GENERATION, AS WELL AS COVERING CRITICAL TOPICS IN EFFECTIVE PARENTING, DISEASE PREVENTION, AND PREVENTING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.COPTIC ORPHANS OUTSOURCES THERAPY COUNSELING SERVICES FROM A SPECIALIZED NONPROFIT IN EGYPT CALLED TAWSEELA. THE COUNSELING HELPS CHILDREN AND MOTHERS DEAL WITH PAST TRAUMA, HEAL FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS, AND GO THROUGH LIFE EQUIPPED WITH NEW AND EFFECTIVE COPING MECHANISMS.BE'DAYA - THE BE'DAYA (ARABIC FOR "WITH MY OWN HANDS") MICRO-LENDING INITIATIVE IS AN OFFSHOOT OF COPTIC ORPHANS NOT ALONE PROGRAM. BE'DAYA HELPS FATHERLESS CHILDREN CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION BY ECONOMICALLY EMPOWERING THEIR WIDOWED MOTHERS. BE'DAYA TAKES A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT EMPOWERS WOMEN TO BECOME AGENTS OF THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT AND LIFT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY. TO THAT END, BE'DAYA PROVIDES LOANS THAT ALLOW EACH MOTHER TO HARNESS HER OWN INNER DRIVE AND ABILITIES, AND, IN THE PROCESS, BE TRANSFORMED FROM A HELPLESS, HOUSE-BOUND WIDOW INTO A SELF-SUFFICIENT BUSINESSWOMAN. EGYPT'S WIDOWS ARE OFTEN SEVERELY RESTRICTED BY TRADITIONS, AND CANNOT LEAVE THEIR HOUSE TO WORK EVEN IF THEIR FAMILIES ARE IN DIRE NEED. BE'DAYA IS TAILORED TO HANDLE THESE HOSTILE CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE POOREST, MOST REMOTE VILLAGES IN EGYPT. BE'DAYA OFFERS SMALL LOANS FOR MOTHERS, ALLOWING THEM TO START OR EXPAND A BUSINESS IN ANYTHING FROM ANIMAL HUSBANDRY TO SEWING TO SELLING GROCERIES. THE MOTHERS RECEIVE COACHING AND WORKSHOPS TO GIVE THEM THE PROPER TOOLS TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES AND HAVE THE BEST CHANCE TO SUCCEED. FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP THE FUTURE LEADERS SCHOLARSHIP IS DESIGNED FOR NOT ALONE GENERAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WHO ARE DISTINGUISHED FOR THEIR ACADEMIC, PERSONAL, LEADERSHIP, AND VOLUNTEERING ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IT AIMS TO PROVIDE THE PARTICIPANTS WITH FINANCIAL, MORAL, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELD, DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, INSTILL VALUES OF VOLUNTEERISM AND SERVICE, AND ENABLE THEM TO LEAD CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SCHOLARSHIP ACTIVITIES INCLUDE LEADERSHIP CAMPS AND TRAININGS IN HOW TO DEVELOP AND GUIDE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - THE VALUABLE GIRL PROJECT IS A MULTI-FACETED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS MARGINALIZED GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN HIGH-POVERTY AREAS IN EGYPT. VALUABLE GIRL'S MAIN GOAL IS TO EMPOWER GIRLS ON THE INTRAPERSONAL, INTERACTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL LEVELS BY INVESTING IN THEIR POTENTIAL AND EMPOWERING THEM TO MAXIMIZE THEIR INFLUENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN GIRLS (AGES 7-22) IN BIG SISTER-LITTLE SISTER MENTORSHIP ARRANGEMENTS THAT PROMOTE PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE, STRENGTHEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR RIGHTS, AND SUPPORT THEIR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. THIS, IN TURN, EMPOWERS GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, RAISE THEIR SELF-ESTEEM, DEVELOP DECISION-MAKING AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND RAISE AWARENESS ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE VALUABLE GIRL PROJECT REDUCES THEIR SOCIAL ISOLATION AND BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS OF SECTARIANISM.SINCE ITS INCEPTION OVER TWO DECADES YEARS AGO, THE PROJECT HAS OPERATED IN OVER 180 SITES ACROSS EGYPT, AND EMPOWERED MORE THAN 15,000 GIRLS. IN THE CYCLE, THE PROJECT OPERATED IN 20 SITES IN FOUR GOVERNORATES, SUPPORTING THE CAPACITY-BUILDING OF 80 CDA STAFF, AND INTRODUCING NEW INTERACTIVE LEARNING TECHNIQUES AND ACTIVE LEARNING METHODS AMONG THE 1,600 PARTICIPATING GIRLS. THE CURRENT CYCLE STARTED IN OCTOBER 2021. IT IS COVERING 20 CITIES IN 4 GOVERNORATES AND INVOLVES 2,000 GIRLS. THE CURRENT CYCLE IS PLANNED TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 2023.SERVE TO LEARN - SERVE TO LEARN IS A DYNAMIC PROGRAM THAT STRENGTHENS THE TIES OF COPTIC DIASPORA VOLUNTEERS (SECOND- AND THIRD-GENERATION EGYPTIANS) WITH THEIR HOMELAND THROUGH SERVING UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES YOUTHS WITH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND ENABLES THEM NOT ONLY TO WITNESS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY UNDERSERVED CHILDREN, BUT ALSO TO ACTIVELY IMPROVE THE CHILDREN'S LIVES BY CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR EDUCATION. BY LIVING IN THE CHILDREN'S VILLAGES, TEACHING IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, VISITING THEIR HOMES, AND ENGAGING WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES, THE VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL VIEW AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN NOT ALONE. THE IMMERSIVE NATURE OF THE EXPERIENCE LETS VOLUNTEERS SEE A CHILD FROM MULTIPLE VANTAGES TO GIVE THEM A DEEPER AND MORE INSIGHTFUL UNDERSTANDING OF EACH CHILD BEYOND THE VENEER OF POVERTY. UPON THEIR RETURN, THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO ADVOCATE AS AMBASSADORS FOR THE CAUSE OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN EGYPT. SERVE TO LEARN VOLUNTEERS AND ALUMNI THEN BECOME THE DRIVING FORCE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE SERVE TO LEARN PROGRAM WAS INACTIVE DURING 2021 AND PART OF 2020.