Economic Growth Egypt Project #9108

Financial Inclusion in Egypt - Empower 8000 women

by Coptic Orphans

Project Report | May 7, 2018
She Didn't Let Depression Stop Her from Doing Good

By Nermien Riad | Executive Director

Maria teaching adult literacy classes

Recently, it seems like a women’s movement is taking over the world to empower women, safeguard their rights, augment their voices, and give them more chances to succeed. But while some women march for their rights or demand equal pay, others exists beyond the reach of this movement. Despite the changing times, women living in rural villages in Egypt belong to a generation and a culture that continues to value them as property, something to be owned, protected, and locked away by their male keeper. And when a woman is widowed, she loses her protection, her livelihood, even her right to provide for her family as she faces increased scrutiny and control from her community.

Yet despite all of these challenges, we have seen extraordinary women overcome insurmountable obstacles to start their own business, support their families, and reclaim their personhood. They become their own movement, armed with nothing but a sewing machine or bags of feed, and a little help from the B’edaya initiative. B’edaya projects range from raising and settling cattle, to running an ironing service or a photography studio. Your generous support is invaluable to helping us provide these microloans to these widowed mothers.

One of these extraordinary women I’d like to tell you about, is Maria. Maria’s husband died in a car accident 15 years ago, leaving her a widowed homemaker, with two children to raise. Her son graduated from technical high school and daughter is currently in her first year of general high school. Maria started a mini market project a year prior to receiving her B’edaya loan. She applied to receive a microfinance loan through us the following year, so she could purchase a deep freezer to expand her mini market and sell food such as fish and vegetables, to meet her clients growing grocery needs.

Because of your generous support, we were able to provide Maria with a microloan, so she could expand her mini market. But even with the financial support, it wasn’t always easy. At the start of her project, Maria suffered from acute depression, which lasted for several months, leaving her with many sleepless nights. During this time, her son and daughter helped operate her mini market. With the support and encouragement of her children’s Not Alone Volunteer Rep and Field Coordinator, Maria received the help she needed to move forward. Ever since, she has been doing her best to ensure her project succeeds. One thing that really helped her recover from depression and press on, was giving back to her local community. Maria, someone with no professional teaching background, started giving literacy classes to illiterate adults in her village. Maria was inspired to start this effort after seeing how much the Volunteer Rep supported her daughter throughout her education, encouraged her to get good grades to go beyond technical school, postpone her marriage, and get into general high school. Maria has taken on this voluntary initiative to teach 12 illiterate adults reading and writing, on top of running her mini market business, demonstrating not only her strong spirit of service, but her passionate desire to give back to others. And this is the story of just one woman your support has helped!

We are so proud of the self-made entrepreneurs of the B’edaya initiative who have become their own movement of empowerment, strength, and independence. Thanks to your unwavering support, Egypt’s women will thrive and secure a brighter future for their children through microfinance.

The deep freezer purchased for Maria's minimarket

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Feb 6, 2018
"My Son Was Very Proud of Me" - B'edaya Mother

By Nermien Riad | Executive Director

Magda from Bani Suef

Thanks to your support and generosity, 2018 is already off to a great start for many widowed mothers who are being empowered through our B’edaya project. They are beginning, or are expanding, income-generating projects through loans and coaching in entrepreneurial skills, to achieve economic independence for themselves and their children.

The first round of these loans was offered in 2011 to 70 mothers, followed by the second in 2013 to 30 mothers, and 40 mothers in 2016. The latest round of the program will end this May.

Magda from Bani Suef, is one of these entrepreneurial widows who runs a tailoring project I’d like to tell you about. Magda’s son attends a school which holds a celebratory annual Mother’s Day event for its students and their mothers. The event requires students to perform in costumes. Magda entered into an agreement with the principal at her son’s school, to tailor costumes for the students who were participating in the school event. Magda attended the event to network with other parents and to market her products at reasonable prices. The administration was so pleased with Magda’s work that they agreed to have Magda tailor the costumes for the upcoming academic years, even after her son graduates.

Another school principal who was present at the event was so impressed by the costumes, that he asked if she could also tailor costumes for the students at his school. He also asked Magda to tailor a blouse for his daughter.

Not only is Magda doing great things, but she is doing them while selflessly thinking of her son. When Magda saw one of the Coptic Orphans’ Not Alone Program youth photographing the Mother’s Day event, she said: “I believed that my son too would have a bright future…I recommended him to be the Master of Ceremonies for the next event, and was told he will interview one of the mothers and present it at the event. My son was very proud of me.”

We too, are proud of Magda.

Magda is just one of many B’edaya mothers who are all heroes to us at Coptic Orphans. It is by God’s grace and your generosity that we are able to provide her, and other widows, with loans and business coaching to develop their skills and discover their talents. Thank you for being part of Coptic Orphans’ work and for helping empower these brave women to move one step closer to self-sufficiency.

One Body in Christ,

Nermien Riad

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Nov 8, 2017
B'edaya Mothers Challenge Barriers to Women

By Nermien Riad | Founder and Executive Director

Mothers are starting businesses with B'edaya!

Dear Friend,

Because of your love, prayers, and support, 2018 will be brighter for dozens of widowed mothers who are using B’edaya loans and business coaching to advance towards economic independence for their families. Thank you!

Manal from Assiut is one of the brave widows whose faith, perseverance, and hard work God is rewarding.

Manal had always dreamed of buying a high-quality iron capable of doing a professional job. She hadn’t always had that aspiration. In fact, at one time, she had been embarrassed at even the thought of opening up a business.

But in March 2017, when Manal went to an event to honor the entrepreneurial widows involved in B'edaya’s Round III, she heard them describe their efforts and successes. After that, she didn't feel as crazy for wanting to start her own business.

In fact, after hearing the other mothers’ stories, Manal felt embarrassed at how small her idea was. She widened her vision, and she learned from one of the mothers that the best way to improve her business was to constantly keep improving.

Today, professional-quality iron in hand, Manal has put her business well on its way. She is happy that she doesn't have to wait around for someone to give her money now, and she isn't afraid that one day, someone will decide to stop giving her income.

As Manal is fond of saying: "Money that you've earned with your own hands has a different flavor."

The B’edaya mothers are heroes to all of us in the Coptic Orphans family, from the staff to the Church-based volunteers to their own children. It is only by God’s grace, and through your generosity, that we’re able to provide them with both loans and coaching in entrepreneurial skills. These are simply ways to develop the determination, ingenuity, and business-savvy that these mother bring to the table.

Being a poor, uneducated widow in Egypt means facing seemingly insurmountable barriers. We’re grateful to the mothers of B’edaya for proving that, for God, nothing is impossible.

Thank you for being part of the Coptic Orphans family, and for helping to empower these courageous women to feed their families and move towards independence.

One Body in Christ,

Nermien Riad
Founder and Executive Director

*Names and details changed to protect the privacy and dignity of B’edaya participants

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