Egypt

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In Egypt, Handicap International supports local non-governmental organisations working in the field of disability (capacity building of local staff, management and financial support).

CONTEXT
According to the UN, Egypt is classified 120 out of 177 on the Human Development Index scale. At the end of 2003, the Egyptian population was estimated to be 75 millions. More than 1 million people would be living with a disability. 74% of them would suffer from mental disability, and 15% from mobility impairment. 
Few European organizations are present because of the complex and bureaucratic procedures imposed by the Government for any direct intervention. 

BACKGROUND
Since 1987, our work in Egypt has focused on supporting local organizations. Two major factors determined our choice of intervention approach in Egypt: the existence of a structured civil society and the existence of competent know-how in the field of rehabilitation at national level.

In 1987, the first rehabilitation programme in support of mentally disabled children and their families was set up with Caritas. Community workers and volunteers were trained to provide support to families and to run day centres, which were meeting places for the families and places of learning and development for the children. From 1992-1994, this programme was run in partnership with the Caritas Seti Centre (centre for mentally disabled children and young adults). These actions have now been extended into other regions in Egypt and are run autonomously by Caritas Seti.

In 2001 and 2002, several short technical missions were carried out by Handicap International to build the capacity of these two partners:
– for Caritas Leprosy: a training course in rehabilitation and sanitary education in the leprosy field
– for Caritas Seti: evaluation of past training in the field on mental disability.

ACTIVITIES

• With Caritas Egypt – Leprosy branch, which coordinates the National Programme against Leprosy. We focus on health education, the establishment of 3 referral centres for surgery (one in Upper Egypt, one in Delta and one in Alexandria), and training in physiotherapy for the clinics’ health care providers.
• With Caritas Seti Centre. Our collaboration between has been reoriented towards vocational training for mentally disabled young people. A three-year training curriculum has been recently launched. 

BENEFICIARIES

Direct beneficiaries: 30 professionals in vocational centres for mentally disabled people, professionals in the field of leprosy and burns.

Indirect beneficiaries: mentally disabled people in Cairo and Alexandria, persons affected by leprosy in the whole country, 100 people suffering from burns in Upper Egypt.

CONTACTS
Our Egyptian projects are run from our Middle East Regional Office.
P.O. Box 9767
Amman 11191.
Tel: + 962 (0) 6 46 28 513
E-mail: himideast2@link.net.jo