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Egypt is best known for its pyramids, ancient history and the Nile - the longest river in the world. However, increasing unemployment and slow economic growth has created large-scale poverty in many regions.
Poverty
More than 1.2 million Egyptians are living below the poverty line and around 44% of the population survive on less than $2 a day. Although poverty is higher in rural areas, urban poverty has also risen because many people are migrating to cities to find work.
Currently, 67% of Egypt’s poor live in Upper Egypt in the south, but the contrast between north and south gets starker every day. The average income in Upper Egypt is around US$2,600, compared to more than US$19,200 in Cairo.
Widows, the chronically ill and disabled people are amongst the poorest members of Egyptian society as they often cannot earn an income.
Disability
More than 1.5 million Egyptians are living with physical and mental disabilities. Many find it hard to access the emotional, medical and financial support that they require. It is estimated that only 2% of disabled people in Egypt access any services at all.
Many disabled children are stigmatised and excluded from society, although some progress has been made to encourage integration. Helping children cope with their disability early on can have a huge impact on their lives.
Islamic Relief in Egypt
Since 2001 Islamic Relief’s office in Egypt has been working on projects to help disabled people, particularly children. Projects include an early intervention centre for young children, a rehabilitation centre and a website that provides information to disabled people.
Seasonal Ramadhan and Qurbani food distributions are carried out in Cairo, Qena, Sohag, Assiut, Beni Swaef and Al Fayoum.
There are plans to expand Islamic Relief’s projects in Egypt to cover more sectors and geographical areas.
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