Spotlight On

Mission:
Coptic Orphans exists with the objective of alleviating the suffering of poverty-stricken children in Egypt, those who have lost one or both parents. The nonprofit provides children with basic necessities, such as food, shelter, education, clothing, sanitation, and other primary needs. The organization's goal is to ensure the sustained physical, intellectual, as well as spiritual development of orphans so that they may grow into productive adults.

Background:
Coptic Orphans is a non-profit organization founded in 1989 with the goal of the long-term development of the physical and intellectual well being of orphans in Egypt. The organization was conceived when the founder and Executive Director, Mrs. Nermien Riad, was in Cairo during a two-year tour of duty with the U.S. government. During her stay, she was invited to visit an orphanage in Egypt. The children's living conditions and abject poverty overcame her and she became determined to make a personal impact to improve their conditions. Upon returning to the United States, she began collecting and sending funds to Egypt on a limited scale to the orphanage, and began to lay the foundations for an organization with a Mission and Philosophy solely devoted to the purpose of helping children. In June 1992, the organization was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and received tax-exempt status shortly thereafter. Coptic Orphans has since grown phenomenally to include other needy children throughout Egypt.

Current Programs:
Today, Coptic Orphans is helping over 3,000 children throughout Egypt. The organization has four areas of operations in Egypt that include the Child Aid Program (the largest in scope and geographic coverage), the Child Survival Program, the Girl Education Program, the College Aid Program and new this year - the Emergency Housing Program. Its services cover most of Egypt, including, Cairo, Alexandria, Benisuef, Minya, Assuit and reaches as far south as Sohag and Luxor, not to mention many remote villages.

Coptic Orphans dedicated representatives in Egypt seek out children who have lost one or both parents and are without means of support. Many times, these children are neither receiving minimally adequate nourishment, nor the educational support to stay in school. Furthermore, they are under a great deal of pressure to drop out of school and work to support the family. Children as young as 10 years old become the bread-winner for the family. Through food distribution and school assistance, Coptic Orphans ensures that these children will have an opportunity to improve their lives.

The children receive nutritious food, school lessons and other necessities on a monthly basis. In effect, Coptic Orphans becomes the father they have lost, or the steady income that is no longer there. In this way, they can focus on their education and not worry about their next meal. During 2001, 1,147 new children were helped in the Children Aid Program, bringing the total number of children currently assisted to 3,249. The number continues to grow each year. The goal for 2002 is to accommodate over 4,100 orphans. Coptic Orphans estimates that 100,000 children fall into this category of being both poor and orphaned.

Funding Needs:
Coptic Orphans is currently receiving funding through donations and grants. It seeks financial support to cover administrative costs and launch new programs. The nonprofit also needs funding to sponsor more children who face illiteracy, poverty, and persecution.

"Spotlight On" highlights the activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community. The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible representation of the region's nonprofit sector.

If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight," e-mail a description of your organization, following the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org, with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.