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Nadia* and her mother must bathe and wash their clothes in the canal near their one-room house because they don’t have running water. The many canals that feed from the Nile river in Egypt are full of parasites and potential infections, so Coptic Orphans has arranged to install plumbing and water connections for Nadia.
We need the equivalent of $220 USD to cover the need.
December 28th Update: this need has been paid from contributors in Ontario, Canada, and three states of the US: California, Illinois, and Maryland. The amount over and above what we needed for this need will cover similar needs. May God bless you all!
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Before Natalie* was born, Natalie’s father went to work in a factory for a small wage nowhere near enough to support his family. So Natalie’s mother also went to work in a textile factory. When Natalie’s mother had her first child, Natalie’s older sister, she sent her to live with Natalie’s grandmother because the long factory hours each day kept her from her children. The same happened when Natalie’s mother had her second child. But when Natalie was born, her grandmother could no longer care for them, so they spent their days in a spare room of the factory.
Then, Natalie’s father discovered, too late, that he had cancer. Despite the family’s best efforts, he fell asleep in the Lord at a young age. The Church helped Natalie’s mother start a baking business, but soon asthmatic attacks triggered by the heat and dust forced her to stop. The Church again helped her start an outdoor grocery stall, but the pollution and dust, along with advancing sclerosis and swollen limbs, again forced her to stop. Natalie and her sister tried to help run the shop, but men on the street harassed them. With deteriorating health, Natalie’s mother had to stop once and for all, leaving Natalie and her siblings with no income.
Today, Natalie and her siblings have been doing well and look forward to a brighter future. But Natalie’s mother desperately needs medical care far beyond their means: two injections per month, along with tests to monitor her condition each time. Coptic Orphans seeks to raise the annual cost for this year of her medical care so that Natalie can have her mother’s loving presence and supports as Natalie studies and prepares for life ahead.
We need the equivalent of $2,950 USD from generous contributors after the donation from New Jersey below to cover this need.
December 23 Update: Yesterday, God truly moved in the hearts of his people, and two very generous contributors, one from from Finland and one from Minnesota, have completely covered this urgent need. In fact, the contributor from Minnesota has contributed far more than what we needed to cover the remainder of this need, so we are applying the surplus to other urgent needs, including these: 1. Kyrolos' mother needs an immediate gall-bladder operation; 2. Mary's mother has a tumor in her leg and needs diagnostic surgery to determine if it's malignant and dangerous, 3. Marina's mother needs treatment for glaucoma.
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Mary’s* father supported her and her little brother by hauling loads of sand and cement at a construction site all day. Overwork took its toll, and Mary’s father succomed early to cancer. For a year he was very ill and the family lived on nothing as their savings slowly dried up. Finally, he died at only 30 years old.
Today, life is much better for Mary, but she lives in house in desperate need of repairs. The mud-brick walls need sealed, and their kitchen and bathroom needs a roof. Also, the wall that separates them from the neighbor is sagging severely and threatens to collapse. Coptic Orphans has arranged to provid the necessary repairs, and needs the equivalent of $288 USD to cover the cost of the project.
December 18 Update: a generous contributor from Canada has covered this need, and another from New Jersey has donated an additional amount that we'll apply to the newest need above. Thank you!
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Samir* lives in a rustic mud-brick home in a remote village. Samir works with his sister and mother in the fields after school to help earn enough for food. Their house is simple to the extreme: they burn sticks for cooking in a pit in the dirt floor, and they have no furniture but wooden benches.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to help install floor tiles, plumbing, sanitary ware, a gas-burning stove, and basic upholstered furniture so Samir will have a healthier and more humane home where he and his sister can rest, learn, and grow.
After finding local resources, Coptic needs the equivalent of $468 to cover the remaining cost of the project.
December 16 Update: a generous contributor from Pennsylvania has covered this need. Thank you!
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Michael's* father fell from the fifth floor of a building while working to support his family. Michael was left alone along with his mother and his five siblings. Illiterate, Michael's mother struggled to support them, and when they entered Not Alone, all the children showed signs of malnutrition.
Michael faced a still greater challenge than all this: he was born without a way for his body to get rid of solid waste. He underwent a painful corrective surgery that did not help a lot, and for a long time Coptic Orphans supported the frequent enemas he needed. Now that Michael is getting older and he needs more frequent care, we went looking for ways to permanently help Michael gain a normal life. We now have a referral for Michael to a well-known surgeon in nearby Assuit for another surgery with much better outcomes.
We need generous contributors to help us raise the equivalent of $730 USD to cover the cost of the surgery and help Michael gain a normal life.
December 16 Update: a very generous contributor from Illinois has completely covered this need. Glory to God who will richly reward you.
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Bishoy* excels remarkably in school among even the more privileged of his peers despite his circumstances. His mother and some of his three siblings are illiterate, and the family has struggled so much, they have a had a tough time finding enough money to feed their cow.
Bishoy’s floor sags, and the house has sunk below the street level. Also, the entire family sleeps in one tiny room, and the toilette is unhealthy and inadequate.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to reconstruct their floor, renovate their bathroom, and build a second room to give Bishoy a less crowded place to sleep and study.
After tapping other resources, we need generous contributors to raise the equivalent of $360 USD to cover the project. Will you help?
December 11 Update: this need has been covered by a contributor from New York. Thank you!
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Sherry’s* father, a day laborer for nearby farms, committed suicide after accruing large debts for daily expenses. Because of this, several of Sherry's siblings had to drop out of school to help feed the family or simply because there wasn't money for books, uniforms, and other fees. Sherry was still very young at the time, but because of the family’s financial hardship, she didn’t enroll in school.
Since becoming part of the Not Alone program of Coptic Orphans years later, Sherry learned to read and with hard work caught up with other girls her age very quickly. She is now in the 7th grade.
Unfortunately, though, Sherry still lives with four siblings and her mother in the a single room of their home that is roofed. Coptic Orphans has arranged to roof the rest of the home with the partnership of Sherry’s family, so that Sherry can have the dignity of a more humane place to live and study. We need contributors to cover the remaining cost of the project after the family has used their resourcefulness: the equivalent of $320 USD after applying the surplus of the newest contribution below.
December 11 Update: this need has been covered by a contributor from New Jersey. Thank you!
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Michael* lives with his six siblings and mother on an upper floor of a building, where they have neither running water nor toilette. They must go down and use the toilette of their first-floor neighbors, which constantly causes conflict between the two families.
Coptic Orphans has partnered with the family to arrange for plumbing into their apartment, along with a toilette. We need generous contributors to cover the $261 we need to cover the cost of the project.
December 9 Update: a contributor from Canada has contributed enough to cover this need and a little more. We have applied the surplus amount to the newest need above. Thank you!
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Kamel’s father worked hard even with a terminal illness to build a house for Kamel and his siblings. He nearly fulfilled his dream before falling asleep in the Lord a decade ago. Since then, the more temporary wooden roof began to leak, and now it is not much protection from the rain.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to contruct a new roof of re-enforced concrete, which will keep out the rain. It will also serve as a much safer roof for an Egyptian home, whose flat roof also often serves as a balcony.
After applying the generous contributions from the latest urgent need below, we need $330 to cover this project.
December 8 Update: a contributor from Finland has contributed the equivalent of $200 USD for this need. Then, another contributor from California covered the remaining amount. Thank you, and may God bless you both.
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Marina* and her family are without any water of their own, and must fill plastic containers for their daily drinking and washing needs.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to install plumbing in Marina’s house so she can have running water. We need a contributors to cover the $234 USD needed for the project.
December 7 Update: over the weekend a contributor from Rhode Island, USA covered this needs, with substantial additional contributions from Washington, Finland, and Egypt. These will apply towards the newest urgent need above. Glory to God for his goodnes.
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Mark* lives with his younger sister and widowed mother in one room built on the roof of a building. They have lived there since Mark’s father died of a heart attack early in life over ten years ago. The old brick room has decayed over the past decade, and now its walls are cracking and the roof threatens to collapse.
Coptic Orphans is rebuilding the walls and constructing a second room for Mark. We have partnered with the family, who are contributing what they are able, and our local Rep, whose ingenuity has already raised the larger portion of the cost of the project from sources in Egypt. Coptic Orphans needs generous contributors to cover the remaining amount, the equivalent of US $364.
December 3 Update: a contributor from Canada has given the equivalent of $47. Thank you!
December 4 Update: a generous contributor from Virginia has covered this need with exactly enough left over to cover another need we've recently received: Sherry* does not have electricity, and strains her eyes to study at night by a kerosine lamp. With this contribution, we can now cover the cost of installing electricity in Sherry's home so she can succeed in school. May God bless you.
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Adel* lives with his mother and three siblings in one room of a home crowded with all of Adel’s uncles and their families. So many in-laws in one small places causes a lot of conflict, and Adel’s daily life is full of family difficulty. Adel and his siblings need a flat of their own so they can study and live in peace, so Coptic Orphans has arranged to build another storey on Adel’s building that they will have as their own.
Coptic Orphans has partnered with another local organization, The Shepherd and the Mother of the Light, and Adel’s diocese to cover a portion of the cost.
We need Coptic Orphans contributors to cover the remaining $310 for the project after we apply the additional donations from the latest urgent need below.
November 27 Update: a contributor from Australia has donated the equivalent of $118 for this need. Thank you! Just $192 will now cover the need.
December 1 Update: a contributor from Findland has given the equivalent of $120 USD for this need. Thank you! Just $72 will completely cover this need, now.
December 2 Update: a generous contributor from Findland has again contributed towards this need, and covered it completely. May God remember you always.
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Marina* and her two siblings live in a house whose pipes are so ruined they might as well not have running water connected to their house at all. The ruined pipes keep them from getting any water, so for toilette needs they must knock on neighbors’ doors, and for drinking and washing they must fill up plastic containers every day.
While their pipes are worthless for providing water, they do incessantly leak onto their neighbors below, a source of constant quarrels.
Now, Coptic Orphans has made a way to completely renovate Marina’s plumbing. We have partnered with the family’s child sponsor, the family themselves, and their church to cover much of the cost. We need the equivalent of $310 USD to cover the rest after the contribution from Canada (see most recent need below).
November 27 Update: a contributor from Australia has covered this need, and two contributions from Ontario, Canada have provided a generous surplus well beyond the cost of this need that we have applied to the newest need above. May God bless you!
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Mina* has a bathroom in his tiny house that is unusable because the plumbing is ruined, so he must go to another flat knock on the neighbor’s door every time he wants to use the bathroom. Coptic Orphans has arranged to make their bathroom useable again, and needs the equivalent of $206 to cover the project.
November 24 Update: a contributor from Ontario has covered this need, and a little extra that we have applied to the newest need above. May God bless you!
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Kyrolos,* his mother, and his five siblings live in a home severely damaged by pipes left to leak for a long time. With many more pressing financial needs, they had to ignore the leaky pipes as long as they could – but now they cannot ignore them a day longer. Water from the pipes has cracked their walls and ceiling, from which sheets of concrete have crumbled and fallen, exposing the pipes. Now, it seems that the entire ceiling and walls will collapse.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to construct new walls and a new ceiling for Kyrolos. We need a generous donor to cover the $724 in US dollar equivalency that remains after the contribution from the previous urgent need is applied.
November 20 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has contributed $400 for this need and another from Washington has contributed $200. Only $124 more will fulfull this need.
November 23 Update: very generous contributors from Columbia and Canada have made large contributions that not only covered this need, but two other needs that are very pressing: two fatherless families live in separate houses that both threaten to collapse at any time. Now, Coptic Orphans will be able to rebuild sound structures for both families. Glory to God for moving so marvelously in the hearts of his people!
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Mina* lives with his mother, who supports his progress in the Not Alone program despite her illiteracy and chronic illness.
The water pipes in Mina’s home are thoroughly corroded with rust and continually leak. The leaks have ruined their walls and floors with water damage and mildew, and have also ruined their relationship with their neighbors, who resent the damage in their own homes because of the leaky pipes.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to replace their floor tiles, walls, plumbing, and toilette fixtures. We need the equivalent $546 USD to complete the project.
November 17 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has again covered this urgent need. Then, another generous contributor from Illinois covered it over and again before we had the chance to replace the need on this webpage. Thank you both! We have applied the contribution from Illinois to a similar need, a boy whose home has sustained even worse water damage from leaky pipes. See above.
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Adel’s* father was taken from him one day while working to provide for Adel and his family. Adel’s father drowned in an irrigation canal while trying to fix a problem with the irrigation of a rice paddy.
God has been with Adel, his brother, and his mother since their loss just a few years ago and has shown his faithfulness even as they grieved. Adel’s family was left homeless after their father’s death. They always dreamed of owning their own home, and they finally did recently when an extended family member and their local church helped them purchase a plot of land and build a home.
Adel was happy to even have his own room. Now, Adel needs help to finish his new home. Only two rooms are roofed, and the house still has a dirt floor and mud-brick walls. Furthermore, there is no running water. Adel and his family face invasions of cold, rain, rats, and insects until they can finish the house.
Coptic Orphans needs the equivalent of $1,100 after another contribution we've just received (see latest urgent need below) to finish the home and fulfill Adel’s dream of a home while making sure it will be a good gift with warmth, safety, and running water. Will you help?
November 16 Update: a very generous contributor from New York has completely covered this need. May God see and bless you!
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Mona,* her three sibling, and her mother were left with their father’s brother after Mona’s father died after a long illness. When her uncle tried to unduly control Mona and her family, they moved to a tiny one room home with no septic tank.
Coptic Orphans has partnered with Mona’s local church to finish another room, install a septic system, and re-install floor tiles so that Mona will have the dignity of a livable home. We need the equivalent of $364 USD to complete the project.
November 14 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has again covered this need, and a contributor from Massachusetts has also contributed another amount that we will dedicate towards a need we just received (see above). Thank you!
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Nadia’s* tiny bathroom is falling apart, and exposes the house to raw sewage. The smell is overpowering even just walking into the house, and it contributes to the chest infection that Nadia’s younger brotherseems to have constantly .
Coptic Orphans has arranged to expand and repair the bathroom and everything in it to fix the problem and make it more useable for Nadia. To give Nadia the dignity of liveable conditions, we need a contribution of $118 after applying the generous contribution to the last need from Finland. Will you help?
November 12 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has again covered this need. Thank you!
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Elizabeth* and her five siblings sleep on a dirt floor. Coptic Orphans has partnered with Elizabeth’s local church to install floor tiles and add a layer of concrete to cover her mud-brick walls. We need the equivalent of $70 USD to complete the project.
November 11 Update: two contributors, one from Australia and one from Finland, have both covered this need. The surplus among beyond what was needed will be applied to another need that we have received from the field: see above.
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Magda* lives with her four siblings and her mother in a tiny rural home with no doors or windows. They fear for their safety from intruders and are left exposed to the heat, the cold and to the snakes and scorpions who are free to enter through the openings of the home.
Coptic Orphans has partnered with their local church and with their diocese, both of whom are responding with us to Magda’s urgent need for adequate housing. We need the equivalent of $456 USD to have the rest of what we need to complete the project for Magda.
November 9 Update: two generous contributors, one from New York and one from Finland, have both covered this need. May God reward you! The amount above what is necessary for this need will fulfill another that we have received from the field: Adel* and his mother have recently built a home with the assistance of their church after having been left alone and homeless. The home still lacks electricity, running water, and a toilet. Now, Coptic Orphans can help Adel and his mother gain these basic rights for daily living.
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Fady’s* mother was his father’s second wife. After his father died of a heart attack, his first wife tricked Fady's illiterate mother into signing away all her rights to any inheritance or government widow pension so that the first wife could take everything.
Fady and his mother suddenly found themselves with nothing.
Fady and his mother live in difficult living conditions that has contributed to health problems for Fady. Fady needs a constant supply of water for his health, but they have no water supply of their own. Every day they must knock on neighbors’ doors to fill containers of water. They don’t like being dependent on their neighbors, and their neighbors are beginning to resent them for it.
Fady desperately needs running water in his house so that he can recover his health and so that he can have the dignity of greater self-sufficiency. Fady’s mom has already taken incredible initiative by beginning to install plumbing herself.
With the equivalent of $180 USD we can install a water meter and hook everything up so Fady and his mother will finally have the dignity of running water.
November 6 Update: a generous contributor from Dubai has again covered this need. May God bless you!
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Amira’s* mother and two siblings live in a small flat that is critically dangerous for them right now. The wall that their flat shares with a neighbor is sagging and threatens to collapse at any time.
To address this need, Coptic Orphans has partnered with another indigenous organization, the St. Augustine Association, to rebuild and re-enforce the wall in their flat. Coptic Orphans needs the equivalent of $335 USD to finish the project.
November 5 Update: a generous contributor from Dubai has covered this need. May God reward you!
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Marian’s* father suddenly passed away and left her mother without any means to support their 9 children. To make matters worse, Marian’s older sister suffers from a chronic liver condition that forced the family to exhaust their savings and continues to put tremendous strain on the family’s resources.
The situation left Marian, her mother, and her 8 siblings in a one-room flat. All 9 children and their mother cook, use the bathroom, study and sleep in the same tiny, cramped room.
Despite all this, Marian and her siblings responded with resilience to all the challenges they faced. With hard work and the care of their Coptic Orphans Rep, they are usually at the top of their class in school.
Coptic Orphans wants to honor the perseverance and determination of Marian and her family, and further help her succeed, by helping them gain the dignity of a humane living situation. Already, Marian’s Rep has secured contributions from others in Egypt for a new, more spacious flat for Marian. Coptic Orphans needs the equivalent of $1,636 to collect the remaining amount needed to help Marian receive the home she needs and deserves.
Will you help Marian gain a home?
November 2 Update: contributors from Dubai, Maryland, and Ontario have together contributed the equivalent of $870 USD for Marian's new home. More than half of this need is already covered. Glory to God! Now, we need $766 to finish it.
November 4 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has just donated the equivalent of US $500 for this need. Then, later in the afternoon another contributor from Illinois contributed the remaining $266 Thank you everyone who contributed, and may God richly reward you!
Donate
Now for Marian
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David* lives with his mother and two siblings in a small adobe home. Unfortunately, the wooden beams of their roof have become rotten and now threaten to break and fall over them.
They urgently need to replace their roof, and Coptic Orphans has arranged to replace the wooden beams with new ones. The cost is the equivalent of $365, of which a contributor from New Jersey has already covered $50.
Will you help?
October 30 Update: a generous contributor from Arkansas has covered this need. May God reward you!
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Afef* lives with her four brothers and sisters in a tiny home in rural Egypt. After their father had a heart attack four years ago and left them alone, their house gradually crumbled until finally it collapsed. Miraculously none of the family was hurt, and their local church helped rebuild their house, putting up new walls. They moved back in, but the church wasn’t able to put a roof over the house, so their house remains open to the heat and the cold.
Coptic Orphans has arranged to build a new roof for Afef’s home. Her family is not able to contribute anything (normally the families themselves contribute even just a little so that they have a sense of ownership and accomplishment with the renovations), so Coptic Orphans is depending on generous donors to help raise the $800 USD that we need to put a roof over Afef’s head.
Will you help?
October 21 Update: a contributor from New Jersey has just put forward $100 for this need. We now only need $700 USD to complete the project. Thank you!
October 21 Update: a contributor from Florida has contributed $50 for this need. Thank you! Every bit will cover this need when we all join in together. $650 to go and the need will be covered.
October 28 Update: a contributor from Australia dedicated the equivalent of $228 USD for this need. Then, a contributor from New Jersey gave $50 and another generous contributor from Arkansas donated $422, completely covering the remaining need. Thanks to all who made this possible, and glory to God for moving the hearts of his people. The remaining $50 will be dedicated to the next need we have from the field above.
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Imagine living on the ground floor of a building in a crowded neighborhood where the next house is a mere meter away--about three feet from yours--and goes up four stories. Now imagine that your bathroom is next to that house , and has no roof.
Sally,* her sister, and her widowed mother all have to face that situation where they live in Egypt. Being women and girls, they are even more vulnerable every time they need to bathe or relieve themselves. Coptic Orphans has arranged to build a roof over their bathroom so Sally and her family can live with dignity, privacy, and safety. Also, we have arranged to build a stairway between the top and bottom floors of her house, which aren’t connected right now.
Only $205 USD will cover both projects.
October 19 Update: a generous contributor from Australia has just contributed the equivalent of $174 USD to this need. Thank you! We now only need $30 from another contributor to cover it completely.
Another October 20 Update: a contributor from Canada has provided the remaining funds. May God bless you with the contributor from Australia.
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Sonia* loves going to school, a privilege that her mother struggles to make sure she continues to have each term with the meager income that she earns from a small plot of land and a cow that they own. It’s all that she can do since Sonia’s father died, and so she has been trying to ignore the very big problem that has been creeping up on them during the last several years.
But now, it’s impossible to ignore: the heavy wooden beams that hold up the roof are cracking and sagging, as well as the walls. Any time they both threaten to collapse over Sonia’s head and other the heads of her mother and three siblings. Coptic Orphans has acted fast to fix the problem before the impending disaster. We have partnered with Sonia’s family to cover what they are able to contribute, their church has pledged more, and another indigenous organization has also partnered with Coptic Orphans to make it happen. Even Sonia’s Rep has contributed from his own pocket.
Now, Coptic Orphans needs a few contributors to step in and provide what remains: the equivalent of $455 USD. Will you help?
October 19 Update: This need has been covered by serveral contributors from the New York, Ilinois, New Jersey, and Kansas, for a total $1500. The remaining amount will cover a $900 need that we recently received from the field, in which we need to build a new home for a family whose house already did collapse!
Let me share a little about them.
Guirguis’ father died in a work-related accident while providing for Guirguis and his 5 brothers and sisters. Tragically, Guirguis’ mother, who suffered with cancer, also fell asleep in the Lord 40 days after his father. Guirguis and his siblings were suddenly left to care for themselves. Thankfully, a relative bought them an old house next to his own house to give them some support, and after entering Not Alone the older siblings who were taking care of the younger ones gained the constant support and mentorship of a Coptic Orphans Rep. But eventually their house collapsed and they moved into a tiny home already cramped with relatives where there is hardly any space for Guirguis and his siblings even to lie down and sleep at night. Coptic Orphans can now rebuild their house so that they can again have a place of their own under the care of their Rep and next-door relatives.
Many thanks and blessings to our generous contributors. God sees your heart and spirit.
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Mariam's* father took his family to Cairo in search of jobs and a better life. After working as a day laborer in a factory, he died, leaving them with a small city flat of only one windowless room. There is no circulation in the room, so it traps pollution and humidity in the tiny room. As a result, Mariam has developed asthma and breathing problems.
Coptic Orphans wants to get Mariam and her family out of this unhealthy flat as soon as possible. We have already established an agreement with Mariam's church and another local Egyptian organization to split the cost of purchasing a new flat for Mariam. We need a generous contributer to cover the remaining amount we need to find a healthy home for Mariam – the equivalent of $900 USD.
October 10 Update: This need has been covered by serveral contributors from the UK, Canada, Finland, Australia, IL and MD, for a total $4500. The remaining amount will go to a similar need.
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Bishoy*, his mother, and his three siblings live in a four-room house in a rural area. Only one room and the entry way is roofed in their home, so they use the room to store everything that they have, including a cupboard, their only piece of furniture. They sleep in the entry way to keep away the elements.
Coptic Orphans wants to install a wooden roof over their heads in all the rooms in their house. Usually we ask a family to contribute what they can to their own shelter to give them a sense of ownership, but Bishoy’s family has almost no income at all.
$150 USD will allow us to complete the project.
October 10 Update: This need has been covered by a contributor from New York and one from Canada. Thank you! The remaining amount will go to a similar need.
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Since Dina’s* father passed away, Dina, her mother, and her three brothers have been utterly dependent on a small widow’s pension from the government and help from others just for their daily food. Coptic Orphans has been working to help Dina’s family become more self-sufficient, but they are still financially vulnerable to any crisis that comes. One such crisis hit them recently when their refrigerator stopped working. They sold it for parts, but now cannot afford to purchase a new one, a definite necessity in Egypt’s hot climate that doesn’t let food keep for long.
With $240 USD, Coptic Orphans can purchase a new furniture so that Dina’s family can continue finding their own two feet without going under.
September 28 Update: a generous contributor from the Colorado has completely covered this need, with enough for another need just like this one. Thank you!
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Since their father died, Michael’s* family has been left utterly without income. Michael’s uncle farms their land as a way to extract payment for a debt from their deceased father, and Michael’s mother has been unable to gain her right to the widow’s pension the Egyptian government normally provides. To make matters worse, Michael and his family were left to live in crumbling ruins for a home. The Anba Abraham service helped rebuild the crumbling ruins of their home, but they still need a door, a toilette, and a stair and railing to connect the two floors of their home.
Coptic Orphans needs $380 USD to finish the home.
September 12 Update: a generous contributor from the U.K. has completely covered this need. Thank you!
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The house that Martha lives in is filled with insects. The mudbrick home has many crevices and openings through which they freely enter.
Martha* spends little time at home and never brings friends over because of the shame and annoyance of the insects in the house. Coptic Orphans can solve the problem for ever by covering the floor and walls with concrete, and installing ceramic tiles in the kitchen and bathroom. Because Martha and her mother cannot contribute to the project because they depend on her mother’s very small income from the sale of hand-made embroidery. Coptic Orphans needs to raise $900 USD to change Martha’s home and make it clean and free from pests.
September 19 Update: a generous contributor from Canada has covered this need. Thank you!
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Hoda's
father
travelled
to distant
Cairo
to provide
for the
family
by working
as a
builder
and a
nightwatchman.
There,
he scraped
enough
savings
to buy
his family
a small
plot
of land
in their
village,
but died
in a
car accident
soon
after
His former
employer
then
called
Hoda's mother
to come
to Cairo
and sign
forms
that
would
release
her father's
wages
and personal
effects
to the
family.
But the
employer
exploited
her illiterate
mother:
instead
of signing
to release
her husband’s
last
wages,
she signed
away
her rights
to any
widow
compensation
or claim
on anything
her husband
had earned.
Hoda's
mother
has worked
hard
despite
the injustice
and suffering
she experienced,
making
clothes
with
a sewing
machine
and renting
out the
little
land
they
have.
But the
house
that
Hoda
and her
three
siblings
live
in is
crumbling.
One wall
is split,
threatening
to collapse.
The only
roof
they
have
is a
bundle
of palm
fronds
stretched
from
wall
to wall. Coptic
Orphans
has partnered
with
Hoda's
mother
to replace
the wall
and put
a real
roof
over
Hoda's
head to
protect
her from
the heat
and rain.
So that
the family
has a sense
of genuine
ownership,
they are
contributing
what they
can. Coptic
Orphans
needs $370
USD to
cover the
rest.
September 8 Update: a contributor from Maryland has just contributed $200. Thank you!
September 13 Update: two contributors, one from Canada and one from New Jersey, have covered what remained of this need. Thank you! The extra amount that you contributed will be used to cover a similar need we have from the field today.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Marian’s* family live in cramped and stuffy quarters with no furniture at all but a single table. Her family does not even have the means to cook meals. Coptic Orphans has partnered with Marian’s church to furnish the house so that Marian can be free to study and succeed in school. With your help, he can purchase a bed and mattress, a wardrobe, a gas stove, a washing machine, two electric fans, three chairs, and floor carpets. These simple appliances and pieces of furniture will make all the difference for Marian and help her spend less time on chores, but have the time and enough place for homework.
$436 USD is what we need to complete this project for Marian.
September 4 Update: a generous contributor from Finland has just contributed $250 for this need. Thank you much on behalf of Marian and her family!
September 8 Update: a contributor from the UK has covered this need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Several years ago, Bishoy’s* father died after a long illness that put the family deep in debt.
Bishoy, his mother, and his siblings still live in the small, very old mud-brick home that is close to ruined. With every storm Bishoy’s family is afraid that this will be the time the house collapses. Although Bishoy’s mother receives a small government pension of about $13 USD per month, it is nowhere near enough to cover their basic needs, let alone get out of debt and build a secure home.
Coptic Orphans has found a way to help Bishoy’s family get out of the trap that holds them. We are partnering with two other indigenous organizations in Bishoy’s village: St Mary Services and The St Augustine Organizations. We will tear down their current house and build a newer and stronger one. Additionally, we will help cover some of the medical expenses still crushing Bishoy and his family nearly seven years after their father’s death and help Bishoy’s mother budget for the rest. Coptic Orphans needs your help to raise enough money to give Bishoy’s family a fresh start at new life in a safe home and debt-free.
$714 USD will help us complete the project.
September 2 Update: Glory to God for his grace. This need has been covered by contributors from New Jersey, Dubai, California, and Maryland. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Shahira shares a one-room mudbrick house with grandparents and two uncles with their whole families. Along with the daily difficulties of sharing a single room with three families, there is no roof over Shahira’s head to protect her from the rain or heat or door to protect her from unwanted guests.
Coptic Orphans has partnered with Shahira’s local church and her family to build the most pressing necessities for Shahira’s home: a roof, a door, and two windows to let in light and keep the house cool. Her church is contributing according to their ability, and Shahira’s mother, wanting a part in her own family’s wellbeing, is contributing what she can, too.
Now, Coptic Orphans only needs $500 USD to literally give Shahira a roof over her head.
August 25 Update: a generous contributor from Virginia has contributed $100 towards this need. Thank you!
August 31 Update: Glory to God for moving in our hearts. Two contributors, one from New Jersey and one from Maryland, have covered this need. The small amount beyond what was needed will go directly to help cover a similar need we just received from the field. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Amir* and Amin* live with their mother in two rooms
on the upper floor of a rural house owned by relatives, furnished
with
only a tattered bed and sofa. The family does not have access to
a toilet or electricity. Their father, a farmer, suffered from a
heart condition and was not able to work for several years before
his death. The family’s finances were completely depleted during
his long illness, and they were forced to make due with a meager
pension of LE50 per month (less than $10) and sporadic assistance
from the church until they joined the Not Alone program. Though the
boys grew up in tough circumstances they kept up their studies with
the light of a primitive kerosene lamp and have done well in school.
Coptic Orphans wants to give the boys and their mother
the basics of a toilet and electricity. The total cost of installing
an electric
meter and components, and purchasing and installing a toilet will
come to US$432 (approximately LE2350). We are counting on your
donations to cover this cost.
August 24 Update: a generous contributor from Illinois has covered this need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Meena*
lives with his four other siblings, his mother, and several of
his uncles.
A family of this size in the many places in the western world would
most likely be living in fairly decent sized house with several
bedrooms. This however, is not the case for Meena and his family—who
currently share a small rural two-room house with only one sofa
and one bed, leaving many of the children to sleep on the ground.
The house also lacks running water, and every day Meena's family
must walk to the neighbors and carry heavy water containers all
the way back to the house.
The family
was left to live with Meena’s uncles after his father died and
currently have no steady income to provide for their basic needs
let alone to fix the house and install water. To change this, Coptic
Orphans is partnering with Meena’s church to equip the house with
a direct water source and provide some funding for an addition
to the house. We need to
raise $180 to complete the amount we need to get Meena running
water and make his house livable.
August 18 Update: We’ve
had an overwhelming response to this urgent need, Praise God for
His work in our hearts. A generous contributor from the United
Kingdom covered this need, and before we had a chance to update
our website, two more donors—one from the UK and one from
Ohio—were moved to respond as well. The overage will go directly
to fund a similar urgent need that we have recently received word
of from the field. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
A
wall collapsed in Marriane’s* house and took her father’s life. Now
Marriane, her six siblings, and her mother have been struggling to
survive without him and without any income… not even the small government
pension that most widows in Egypt receive.
Without
the income for repairs, the house that took the life of Marriane’s
father still threatens hers. The walls are still unstable. Besides
being unsafe, the house is hardly fit for living in at all: the upper
floor does not have a roo. and all seven children sleep in the same
room on the ground. Coptic
Orphans is partnering with Marriane’s local church and her extended
family to continue the construction on the upper floor of the house.
We hope to build a roof and provide the children with a bed and a
mattress. We need $318 from a generous donor to cover the remaining
expense of Marriane’s new, safe house.
August
10 Update: a generous contributor from Massachusetts has covered this
need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In
1995, Deena* and her mother were left fatherless and husbandless after
Deena’s father died of a heart attack. He spent the last few years
of his life suffering from high blood pressure and liver problems.
Without him around, Deena and her mother have no source of income
and now live together in a small mud-brick house that completely lacks
any source of water or electricity.
For
hours every day, Deena and her mother must travel on foot to Deena’s
grandparents’ house several miles away… just to use the bathroom and
get the water they need for washing and cooking. This is unnecessary
and Coptic Orphans wants to make a change in their lives. But
we can’t do this without you. We plan to pay $163 to equip their home
with running water and a source of electricity, and would greatly
appreciate your generous donations to make a change in Deena’s life.
August
5 Update: two contributors have both covered this need: one from Kuwait,
and one from Ilinois have covered this need. The amount above what
is needed will go to similar urgent needs. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Young
Ibrahim* and his three siblings study, eat, and sleep on the floor.
Their small brick house is empty and the ceiling is in dire need of
repairs.
In
1998, Ibrahim’s father, who was eighty years old and illiterate, worked
as a farmer to support his family before he died of a heart attack.
Now Ibrahim and his siblings have no choice but to leave their studies
in order to work and make money in order to pay for the family’s basic
needs as well as make several repairs to the house. Not only have
they lost their father, but their childhood and education is slowly
being stripped away from them. This is unacceptable. Coptic Orphans wants Ibrahim and his siblings
to get an education and to live the life they should be living—as
children, not providers. We are partnering with the St Mary and St
Augustine Organizations in order to raise $180 for some simple furniture
and the construction of another room. We ask for your generous donations
so that Ibrahim and his siblings can go back to school and get an
education so that in the future they can provide for their own families.
August
2 Update: a very generous contributor from Australia has covered this
need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Samira*
and her six siblings stay at home with their mother because they cannot
afford to go to school. Their father died 10 years ago from a liver
ailment after working for their livelihood with shipping company.
This was a tremendous loss for the family. Not only must they suffer
from grief after losing their father, but the family no longer has
a steady income to provide for their basic needs.
The
house they now reside in is unstable and uninhabitable. The ceiling
is completely ruined and has caved in, leaving the house damaged and
easily prone to leaks. With barely enough of a government pension
to supply Samira and her family with basic needs, there is no way
for them to pay for the construction that needs to be done on their
home. Coptic
Orphans wants to change this. We are planning to contribute $700 in
order to pay for the renovations and help the children get back into
school. We cannot do this on our own and are looking to you in order
to make this positive change in Samira’s life.
July
29 Update: a very generous contributor from Illinois has covered this
need, with an additional amount for simmilar needs. May God bless
you for your continuing generosity!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Meena’s*
father spent his last year on earth fighting cancer. Meena’s uncles
paid for his medication but in the end the cancer took his father’s
life, leaving Meena, his one other sibling, and his mother to survive
on their own without a beloved father and husband and without a steady
income. The
house that they have been left with is a small rural house made of
red bricks. The walls, however, are poorly concreted and have many
holes, while the floor is made of dirt and has no tiles. They do receive
a menial income from the church but it is not enough to cover the
housing expenses and certainly not enough to keep the children in
school.
Coptic
Orphans is offering to renovate their house in order to make it a
safer and more comfortable place to live. We will partner with Meena’s
church to make changes to their home. Coptic
Orphans will pay $570 and would greatly appreciate your contributions
to make security and safety a reality for Meena and his family.
July
20 Update: a contributor from New Jersey has donated $130 towards
this need.
Another
update (July 20): another contributoer from Virginia has just donated
$100
July
24 Update: a generous contributor from Cairo has covered this need.
Thank you to everyone who contributed!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Cancer
tore Sam’s* family apart after his father was diagnosed and died in
2006. Sam’s father supported him, his siblings and his mother by working
as a farmer. Without him, the family makes a meager income from Sam’s
eldest sibling—it is barely enough to provide for the family let alone
take care of any extra expenses. Presently,
the family lives in mud-brick house that they share with their neighbors.
The house is severely cracked and threatens to collapse with every
strong wind that passes through—a dangerous environment to live, let
alone raise a family.
Although
the house does have electricity and a gas stove, they do not have
running water and are hoping to rebuild several of the walls that
are in danger of collapsing. Coptic Orphans is going to help with
these expenses with a donation of $144. We would greatly appreciate
your help to build a sturdy foundation for Sam’s home and to provide
water for him and his family.
July
17 Update: a contributor from Massachussetts has covered this need.
Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Sarah*
and her mother sleep with four other people in a small one-room apartment.
Water and electricity are not an option and the trip to use a bathroom
with subterranean sewage is a luxury. After
Sarah’s father died in a car accident in 1999 who was holding two
jobs to provide for his family—working as a farmer and a porter. Since
then, Sarah and her mother have been living in these inhospitable
conditions without much of hope of improvement. Sarah and her mother
cannot rely on extended family for any kind of contribution because
they are struggling themselves to pay for their own new home.
Sarah’s
mother does receive a small pension from the church that amounts to
$10 a month, but Coptic Orphans wants to do more. We ask for your
generosity to help us pay $163 for electricity and water in Sarah’s
home, making it a more inhabitable environment.
July
13 Update: generous contributors from Toronto, Chicago, New Jersey
and the UK have covered the entire amount. We will dedicate the amount
that we have received over and above this need to other similar needs.
Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Rofail,*
his brother, and his mother lived in their uncle’s flat after Rofail’s
father was killed in a car accident. Rofail’s father worked as a truck
driver and the family was left devastated after the loss. Not only
is Rofail’s family missing a loving father and caring husband, but
they also have no home to call their own. The
flat they are sharing now with their uncle lacks any kind of water
supply. The walls are unstable and there are no doors or windows.
Although the church provides them with some monetary aid of approximately
$8 USD a month, this is not enough to cover all of the necessary expenses
to secure their home.
Coptic
Orphans wants to help and plans to donate $380 in order to fix Rofail’s
home and provide him and his family with better living conditions.
We ask for your generous donations to make safety and security a reality
for Rofail.
July
9 Update: a contributor from New Jersey has covered the entire amount.
Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Karim*
and his family suffered a terrible loss when his father, who suffered
from diabetes, died in 2006 of a heart attack. His mother also lives
with many medical problems including bronchial asthma, colon and kidney
infections as well as mild osteoporosis. The family has not yet received
any sort of government aid and the medical expenses are a great weight
on the family.
Over
and above the daily struggle with medical expenses, Karim’s home is
falling apart. The walls and ceilings of their flat are cracked and
slowly falling apart. A
local engineering committee has been urged to carry out immediate
restorations and Karim’s relatives has pledged some aid. However,
it is not enough. Coptic Orphans wants to help support Karim and his
family by donating $900 for repairs and for his mother’s medical expenses. We
cannot do it without you.
July
8 Update: a generous contributor from Washington covered this need,
and another generous contributor from Illinois covered the same amount
over and above what was needed. The remainder will go towards a similar
need that we have recently received from the field. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Salwa,*
her 4 siblings, and her mother live in a state of constant fear. Their
small unfinished house, lacking a wall and a door, was broken into,
greatly frightening the mother and the children. The mother’s screaming
caught the neighbors’ attention and they hurried to find help. Thankfully,
her call and their help saved Salwa and her family, but fear lingers
in her house that this could happen again at any time.
Salwa’s
family does not have the money to help build a wall that is needed
to complete their house because Salwa’s father died suddenly and the
family no longer has a stable income. Coptic
Orphans wants to provide Salwa and her family with safety and security
that should be guaranteed to everyone. Help us by donating $273 to
help rebuild their house and eradicate the state of fear in which
the family now lives.
July
1 Update: a generous contributor from Texas has covered this need.
Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
When Kamel’s*
father was alive, he had no trouble supporting them. He was a weaver
and was given a decent salary from the factory in which he worked.
But disaster strick when Kamel’s father was diagnosed with cancer
in his urinary tract and the life of the family was drastically changed.
When Kamel’s father died in 1998, the family was left destitute.
Kamel and his
four siblings along with their mother live in a small interior room
that is in danger of collapsing because of a leakage of subterranean
water. The family cannot afford to pay for its rebuilding or the concrete
that is needed to support the small house and stop the leak. The grandmother
also lives with them and the whole family sleeps in one small rickety
bed together. Coptic Orphans
is partnering with the St Augustine Organization to contribute money
to pay for the rebuilding of their roof and to also provide the children
with clothes, blankets, and a place to sleep. We ask for a generous
donation from you in order to raise the $455 that we need to change
Kamel’s life for the better.
June
28 Update: a generous contributor from Virginia has paid the entire
amount for kamel. Thank you!_______________________________________________________________________________________
Meena,* lives
with his widowed mother and two sisters on the ground floor of a building,
the roof of which is made out of ruined wooden sheets threatening
to collapse. Every strong wind reminds them of the imminent threat
that their unstable roof makes every day. Meena and his
family were left under the care of their uncle who does not have the
capacity to support them. The only source of income they receive is
a meager stipend from the government which is not enough to support
this family of four and definitely not enough to replace their ruined
roof. Coptic Orphans is contributing
$365 for Meena and his family to rebuild their roof and provide them
shelter and security. We can’t do this without you.
June
23 Update: a generous contributor from Virginia has given $65. Thank
you!
June
24 Update: another generous contributor from Illinois has completely
paid the rest of this urgent need. Thank you for your support of Meena! ________________________________________________________________________________________
In
the US, Canada, and other places, water fountains are located in almost
every building. Being thirsty is a problem that is easily solved.
This is not the case for Sarah* and her mother.
Since
Sarah’s* father, a farmer, died of heart of disease in 2007, her family
has been left to live in a small windowless room without any sort
of water supply at all.
This
small dark room also lacks any kind of sanitary bathroom facility.
We need all of this to change.
Coptic
Orphans is partnering with Sarah's local parish, the Church of the
Apostles, Ashroba, to give Sarah and her mother hospitable living
conditions including running water, a window, and bathroom facilities.
We need your generosity to raise $290 to improve the living conditions
of Sarah and her mother. With your help, we can make it happen.
June
17 Update: a generous contributor from Arkansas has again paid the
entire amount. Many thanks!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Samuel’s*
father died after suffering for five years of leprosy. In order to
pay for his treatments, the family sold all of their belongings and
have been left with no stable form of income.
Left
behind, with his three siblings and his mother, Samuel now resides
in a small rural house, on a miniscule piece of land, built of dried
palm reeds. Only one room is well roofed and this is where the family
spends their nights asleep on the ground.
Coptic
Orphans is building a sturdy roof over the entire house, but we need
your help to raise the $708 USD we need to make security a reality
for Samuel and his family.
June
15 Update: a generous contributor from Arkansas has paid the entire
amount for this need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In
1993, Samir* and his siblings were left fatherless after their father,
a grocer, died of liver complications. Without a steady income, the
family began to rent out the bottom floor of their house in order
to make ends meet. Because their tenants turned out to be extremely
unreliable with rent payments, Samir and his family had not been able
to pay their own monthly rent for over five months.
Then, another disaster struck. their house collapsed and the family
had no choice but to relocate and live with their relatives. Sleeping,
studying and basic life functions have become unnecessarily difficult
for this small family of four.
Coptic
Orphans is partnering with The Shepherd and the Mother of the Light
and the St George Organzation to provide Samir and his family with
a place to live. Coptic Orphans asks for your support of $363 for
its contribution toward a home for Samir.
June
4 Update: a contributor from the UK has covered this need. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Martha’s*
father struggled with kidney failure for two years before his death,
forcing him to sell his land and cattle and leaving his family destitute
at his death. Today, 4 year old Martha and her little brother sleep
on the ground and must share a small mud brick home with other people.
Coptic
Orphans has partnered with Martha’s family to construct a new room
that they can have all to their own, along with a badly needed roof.
Now,
we only need $635 to finish the project.
June
4 Update: Two generous contributors, one from Finland and one from
Australia, have covered this project. the amount over and above what
we needed for Martha will be used to cover similar needs. Many thanks!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Every
time Girgis,* his mother, or his two sisters need to use the bathroom,
they risk being seen by their neighbors from the upper floors of neighboring
buildings.
Girgis’
father worked as a driver in Iraq until he got cancer. Then, he returned
to Egypt and worked as a security guard while building this house
for his family. Unfortunately, he couldn’t finish building it before
he died, leaving the house without a staircase or a roof over the
bathroom.
Girgis’
mother is chronically ill and in constant need of medication, so they
are unable to contribute to the finishing of their bathroom as desperately
as they want the safety of a private place. The total amount that
Girgis’ family needs for their home is $205.
June
2 Update: Contributors from Washington, Virginia, and New Jersey have
completely covered Girgis' home. The remaining amount will be used
to cover similar needs. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Mina*
has lived with a prosthetic leg after he lost his leg in an accident.
Now, Mina has gone through growth spurts and needs to be fitted with
a new prosthetic leg.
With $400,
Coptic Orphans can help Mina get a new leg and continue to walk freely.
May
13 Update: A contributor from Arkansas has donated the $185 for Mina's
new leg. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Bessem*
lives with his mother at his grandfather’s two-room house with seven
other people. Bessam finds it hard to study in cramped quarters with
so many people, so his Coptic Orphans volunteer decided to help Bessam’s
mother build an apartment on top of their grandfather’s house.
Bessem’s
mother or church is unable to contribute towards their new home, something
we encourage so that a family has a sense of ownership over their
new home, so we have partnered with the local St. Augustine organization
to cover part of the cost and coordinate some of the construction.
The
remaining amount that we need from a generous contributor is $185
USD.
May
7 Update: A contributor from Ontario, Canada has donated the $185
for Bessem's home.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Maha*
and her mother travel between relatives’ homes, staying a little while
here and a little while there. Her father died suddenly in 1997 and
left his wife and daughter without a home of their own. Maha's mother
encourages her daughter very strongly to continue with her education,
but depending on the hospitality of various relatives and move around
often makes it harder for Maha.
Maha’s
uncle has offered to let her and her mother build another flat on
top of his house. Without any resources to contribute from Maha’s
family or church, Coptic Orphans needs $2,404 USD to build the house
for Maha and her mother.
Already,
contributions above and beyond what we needed for Marielle's urgent
need below bring what we need for this urgent need down to $1,049.
April
28 Update: A contributor from California has donated $200 towards
Maha's home. Only $849 to go.
April
29 Update: A contributor from Finland has just contributed $200 for
Mina. Thank you! Only $649 left.
May
4 Update: A generous contributor from Maryland has just donated $500.
Then, another contributor from Arkansas covered the remaining $150.
Thank You!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Marielle*
lives with her mother, grandmother, and three sisters in a rural mudbrick
house. Merielle’s father provided for his family by farming until
he died after a struggle with prolonged illness that exhausted his
family’s savings. Now, the walls of Marielle’s mudbrick
home threaten to cave in, and the decayed wooden beams of their roof
can't hold it up much longer.
Coptic
Orphans has partnered with Marielle’s family to cover a portion of
the repairs, as well as a local Egyptian organization, St. Augustine.
their volunteer Coptic Orphans Rep has provided another portion from
his own personal funds. We now only need $455 to
cover the entire amount.
April
21 Update: Generous contributors from Arkansas, Virginia, California,
and Texas have responded to this need. The amount above and beyond
what Marielle needs will be applied to another pressing need. Thank
you!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
March
10, 2009: Special Urgent Need - Shriners
Hospital is helping. Will you?
August
10 Update - We just received a message that Dolagy's operation
was conducted on July 30 at the Shriner's Hospital and was a
tremendous success. A priest from New Jersey writes that "all
reports from the chief surgeon and all staff were very positive.
She is resting now, and will be under observation by all the
medical team." Thank you!
April,
6 - Everything that Dolagy needs financially is now taken care
of. If you are a Philadelphian and would still like to offer
hospitality, do call us at 703-641-8910.
Ten-year-old
Dolagy desperately needs our help to have surgery to relieve
her severely twisted limbs which have left her bed-ridden her
whole life.
Ten-year-old
Dolagy has arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a birth defect
which leaves her with severely contorted joints. One of the
disfigurements affects her knees, resulting in her feet resting
on top of her hips. The little girl has never had any medical
treatment, as her family is destitute. Dolagy has lived in a
windowless bedroom for 10 years. She has no friends, and on
the rare occasions she leaves the house, she is pushed in a
baby stroller, and other children laugh at her.
In December
2008, Shriners Hospital, in Philadelphia, miraculously
accepted Dolagy for surgery . The surgeon is Dr. van
Bosse, a highly respected pediatric orthopedic surgeon who specializes
in spinal deformity, upper and lower deformities, hip problems
and neuromuscular diseases.
However,
the following related expenses—totalling $25,186, will not be
covered by the hospital:
•
Overseas air transport for Dolagy, her mother, and an escort/translator:
$6033
•
Food, housing and local transport for up to six months: $11,850.
•
Articulated HKAFO leg braces: $1154
•
Wheelchair and accessories: $2277
•
Hydraulic lift and sling: $649
•
Raised toilet/adaptive clothing, misc.: $1520
•
Shipping equipment back to Egypt: $500
•
Sales tax for purchases (7%): $1103
To help
Dolagy, specify in the comments section of the online donation
form that the donation is “for Dolagy.” Together, we can give
Dolagy the chance at leading a life of dignity, respect, and
hope. Update,
3/30/2009: CO
contributors have donated $1,150 (Thank you!), and a number
of other organizations have raised a combined $13,750.
Bottom
line, Dolagy still needs an additional $10,286 in cash to cover
the remaining estimated costs. Also, we're looking for housing
arrangements for Dolagy and her mother for some weeks or months
at a time during recovery between surgeries if people can
offer their homes or know of low cost facilities in the Philadelphia
area.
April
6th Update: the entire amount for Dolagy has been paid by an
extremely generous contributor from Massachussetts. May God
reward you!
|
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Yacoub’s* father struggled
to eke out a living from washing cars before he died of throat cancer,
leaving Yacoub and his siblings with nothing but a small plot of land.
Today, Yacoub lives in a crowded one-room home with his mother, grandmother,
and five siblings.
Yacoub’s
family can live in better conditions if only they can build on the
small plot of land that they own. So Coptic Orphans has partnered
with a family members who has come forward to help with a modest amount,
along with Yacoub’s local church and St. Augustine Organziation, another
Egyptian organization in Yacoub’s area that helps build houses.
With these partners,
Coptic Orphans will build a two bedroom house for Yacoub with a kitchen
and a bathroom. With only $546, Coptic Orphans can complete the project.
April
13th Update: We have received much more than what we need for this
appeal from very generous contributors from Arkansas, New Jersey,
Virginia, and Texas. May God reward you! We will use the amount above
and beyond what's needed for similar needs.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Nancy*
and her three siblings live in a one-room house with a roof made of
wood and palm fronds. Insects and mice have eaten their way through
the roof, however, and now it threatens to collapse at any time.
Coptic
Orphans has partnered with the St. Augustine organization to construct
a new roof. While we normally also partner with a family for emergency
housing renovations so that a family can have a sense of ownership
over the result, it is beyond the means of Nancy’s family to contribute
even a small amount. Coptic Orphans needs a generous contributor for
the $730 USD that we need to cover the project.
April
6th Update: a contributor from New York has paid the entire amount
and more.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
After Basem’s* father
died, his mother was able to buy a simple house for Basem and his
three siblings with the help of the Church. As the years went by,
however, the simple palm-leaf roof wore out from the seasons.
Now, it can
collapse at any time. Fearing for her children’s safety, Basem’s mother
moved them to their grandmother’s home until their own house becomes
safe again.
Basem needs
a new roof of re-enforced concrete so that he can once again be in
his own home. Coptic Orphans has partnered with Basem’s family, his
local parish, and the St. Mary and St. Augustine organization to share
the cost of renovations on the ground in Egypt. To finish the renovations,
Coptic Orphans needs a generous contributor to cover the remaining
US $455.
March
31st Update: This need has been covered by a generous contributor
from Virginia, USA. Thank you!
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Hanan's* father
abandoned her family, who now must live on meager church support inadequate
even for their rent. Hanan's mother suffers from chronic anxiety attacks
made worse by constant threats from their landlord to kick them out
of their rented mud-brick flat. Coptic Orphans has partnered with
Hanan's family and their local church to purchase a small piece of
land for Hanan and build a house for her and her family.
After contributions
for the project from Hanan's family and her local church, Coptic Orphans
needs an especially generous donor or group of donors to contribute
a total of $3,320 to give Hanan her own home and ease the pressure
on her mother.
February
24th Update: A generous contributor
from California has paid $275 towards the total. With a few more contributors,
we can easily cover this together.
February
25th Update: Three more generous contributors, three from
Virginia, have contributed a total of $350. We're moving towards our
goal!
February 26th:
Another contributor from Texas has given $150 towards the total needed.
Thank you!
March
2nd: Two contributors, one from Canada and another from New
York, have contributed $280. Thank you.
March
3rd: Another generous contributor from Toronto, Canada has
just dedicated $500 to the cause, and another contributor
from Pennsylvania has contributed $50!
March
6th: Three contributors accross three nations have dedicated
a total of $550 from Japan, Pennsylvania, and Canada.
March
17th Update: This need has been covered by another $75 contribution
from New Jersey and the rest from a very generous contributor from
Massachussets. Thank you to everyone who contributed to cover this
need!
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Nancy*
lives in a one room house with her brother, her mother, and a cow.
The cow was very helpful to Nancy’s family after her father’s mental
awareness deteriorated because of illness to the point where he no
longer recognized Nancy. But despite the blessings that the cow brings,
it is not healthy for Nancy to share her home with an animal. Coptic
Orphans has partnered with her local diocese to build a two rooms
and a toilette for Nancy and her family so that they can have their
own healthy space to live.
We
have accounted for more than half of the total amount needed: the
remaining cost that Coptic Orphans needs to raise for Nancy is $600,
whether through one contributor or a few people pitching in together.
February
17th Update: This need has been covered by three generous
contributors from New York, Virginia, and California, each of whom
contributed a portion of the total. There was a little left over,
and that will be dedicated to similar needs just like this one. Thank
you!
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Since Michael’s* father
died seven years ago, he has lived in his grandparent’s house with
his mother and older brother. While his father gave it modest furniture
before he passed away, Michael has to use a pit dug in the corner
of his house for a toilette.
Also, Michael’s
mother has no kitchen, and uses the floor as a countertop for utensils
and the food that she cooks on a portable stove.
While Michael's
mother is still paying off debts associated with her late husband's
passing and cannot contribute financially to the project, Coptic Orphans
has partnered with another local Coptic charity in Michael's village
to build Michael's family a kitchen and a toilette together.
We only need $185 from
a generous sponsor to completely cover the cost.
February
9th, 2009 Update: The response
has been overwhelming. Contributors from several states have responded
to this appeal. As a result, we are able to pay the entire amount,
and another urgent need of the same amount in order to rennovate the
home of a girl who shares her small rural home with seven other strangers.Any
additional amount will go to other similar needs in Egypt for housing
and water. Thank you!
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Nabil* lives with his
three siblings and mother in an urban flat, where they have lived
since Nabil's father, a shoemaker, died five years ago.
Nabil’s water
pipes and plumbing connections are old and ruined, and because they
do not work properly whenever Nabil’s family uses them it causes tremendous
conflict with their neighbors.
Coptic Orphans
has made arrangements to change the pipes, fix the floor and wall
tiles, and install a new toilette. We have partnered with the family
to cover as much as they are able, and the remaining amount we need
to finish it is $190.
January
29th, 2009 Update: Three generous
contributors, one from New Jersey, one from California, and one from
Ottawa, Canada have responded to this appeal. We are able to pay the
entire amount, and we'll dedicate the additional amount to other similar
needs in Egypt for housing and water. Thank you!
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Marian’s* father worked
as a grain miller who travelled throughout the Middle East to support
his nine children. He developed lung cancer, and after a long battle
that drained the family’s savings, passed away.
Most of Marian’s
siblings have now left home and live elsewhere. Marian lives with
her mother and her brother in a home with no water supply.
Instead, Marian’s
mother has to get water every day from neighbors. Coptic Orphans has
made arrangements to construct pipes and pumps in Marian’s home so
that she can have water in her own home.
We need $152 to
finish the arrangements and provide Marian with water.
January
26th, 2009 Update: The response
has been overwhelming. Generous contributors from Australia, New Jersey,
and Texas have responded to this appeal, and the amount you have contributed
above the amount needed we will apply to other similar needs in Egypt
for housing and water. Thank you!
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Kyrolos*
and his five siblings live in a partially collapsed one-room house
in a rural village. Because the roof has partially caved in, Kyrolos
and his family only spend the day in the house. They sleep at a relative’s
home. During the day, Kyrolos’ family is afraid of the roof collapsing
totally on them.
Coptic
Orphans has partnered with Kyrolos’ family, their local church, and
a child sponsor for Kyrolos’ family to cover the renovation of the
home. We intend to pull down the house and rebuild it with two rooms,
a reinforced concrete ceiling, a bathroom, public utilities including
water and electric, windows, and doors.
Coptic
Orphans only needs $188 to finish the renovation for the entire house
so that Kyrolos can be safe and secure in a home all his own.
January
21st, 2009 Update: A generous
contributor from Australia has covered this need. Thank you!
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Samira’s* mother and
two siblings share a tiny two-bedroom home with another family. The
house has a dirt floor and the walls are moldy and unhealthy. Both
mothers constantly fear that their children will fall seriously ill
at any time.
Coptic Orphans
has determined to repair, seal, and paint the walls, and provide a
cement floor in place of the dirt one.
While Coptic Orphans
usually partners with the family and their local church to cover part
of the cost so that the family can have a sense of dignity in helping
themselves, in this case neither the family nor their church can contribute.
Instead, we need a generous contributor to cover the entire cost of
$145.
January
20th, 2009 Update: A generous
contributor from California has covered this need. Thank you!
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Mary,* her
mother and three siblings have few furniture. The most important article
of furniture that they have is an old gas stove that allows them to
cook their daily meals. But despite being fixed several times, the
stove frequently leaks gas and is an urgent danger to Mary: any night
it could leak enough gas to suffocate Mary and her family in their
sleep or cause an explosion.
Coptic Orphans
has partnered with Mary’s family and local church to get rid of the
old, dangerous stove and get a new one. Both Mary’s family and her
church have contributed amounts as they are able.
With the help of a generous
donor we can cover the rest with $121.
January
16th, 2009 Update: A generous
contributor from New York has covered this need. Thank you!
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Kyrolos* lives with his
three brothers and mothers in a rural home in Southern Egypt that
lacks an electrical connection. They use contaminated water from their
well for their daily needs because the subterranean water on their
property is mixed with sewage.
Coptic Orphans
has partnered with Kyrolos’ mother and their local church to thread
water pipes with clean water to their house and install wiring and
an electrical meter.
We need a generous
donor to help us with the remaining amount so that Kyrolos and his
family can have clean and safe water. We only need $127 to complete
the project.
January
9th Update: A generous contributor
from Texas has covered the entire amount. Thank you!
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Abanoub’s* father married
his mother when she was still very young. His father died when Abanoub
was just in preschool, leaving Abanoub, his mother, and his three
siblings. Since becoming part of the Not Alone program, Abanoub’s
future has been far brighter; however, his family currently faces
an urgent housing situation.
The
wall of their house that they share with their neighbors has
been cracking as subterranean water tries to force its way through.
The wall now threatens to collapse, taking their whole house with
it. Coptic Orphans has worked with Abanoub’s family, local church,
and community to find a way to reconstruct the wall and put a door
on the second floor of their house to protect them from the elements.
We need a generous
sponsor to help with the remaining fraction of the total cost and
completely cover the project: $270
Update:
January 7th: a generous contributor
from Texas has paid the full amount. Thank you! Stay posted for more
urgent needs as we receive them.
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Aida*
lives in a mud-brick house roofed with palm branches and without a
bathroom.
Instead, Aida has to go outdoors, unsafe and vulnerable. Coptic Orphans
wants to rebuild the rooms of their house so that they will be more
healthy and fit the house with a roof and toilet so Aida can be safer
and more secure.
We
have already raised most of the funds ourselves by partnering with
Aida’s family and their local church. We only need $250 more to finish
the house.
January
5th Update: a generous contributor from Texas has paid this
amount. Thank you! Stay posted for more urgent needs.
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