It’s Saturday morning at the All Saints Anglican Cathedral complex in central Cairo. Lots of purposeful activity suggests that something is about to happen. In fact, preparations are being made for today’s job fair. But it’s a job fair with a difference. All the clients are refugees.
The event is organized by Refuge Egypt, the Anglican Church’s sector ministry dealing with refugees, in cooperation with other partners. They call it the Livelihoods Project and today they hope to provide livelihoods – with all that that entails – for around 100 people. For those people this is the final stage of a process that began when they first approached Refuge Egypt.
The first stage of the process is profiling. Clients (they are called clients from the outset as a means of recognizing their dignity) are given an hour long interview to discover their story, their skill set, work they are already qualified to do, and work they might hope to get. The next stage is training. This might involve learning some basic skills, perhaps, or help with the language.
The interview does not concentrate narrowly on employment. Refuge Egypt has three medical clinics in the city. It also runs an assistance service. Emergency packages of food and clothing are available. Care managers can be assigned to give longer term help and mentoring. The aim is to integrate people into Egyptian society as quickly and successfully as possible, and to help people to become independent. There are no refugee camps in Egypt. Having crossed the border, refugees have to find their way within ordinary society. There are ten staff on hand to do the profiling, training and to liaise with employers.
Although there are several charities and NGOs dealing with refugees, and other churches giving some help, Refuge Egypt’s director, Dr Eman (who is an Orthodox Christian) tells me that the Anglican Church is the biggest contributor and the one that has the most holistic approach to refugee needs.
The clinics compensate for what is not available elsewhere. For example, there is no provision elsewhere for HIV management. Rape survival is treated both medically and psychologically. (Some 50 cases are seen each year). The well baby clinic teaches basic baby care and encourages mothers to breast feed (and teaches them how). The clinics also operate as food banks.
A real problem is that families can become split. The women and children of a family may be allowed in at the border, but it takes longer for the menfolk – sometimes twenty days or more – so the women and children arrive independently but disorientated, with no real means of contacting their husbands. Dr Eman understands this loss of family security. She says,
This is a place where they can find ‘family’ again. Our whole aim is to provide dignity, love and care; and yes, this is a new family.
Recently there has been an influx of refugees from Sudan as a result of the fighting there; but there is also a war in Eritrea, and people from there have more difficulty integrating because they may only speak Amharic, and not Arabic or English. Literacy classes are held for both languages.
People also come from areas where young men are forced into army service, or where there is religious intolerance. Dr Eman marvels that some people bring disabled relatives with them, making incredible journeys with crutches or other aids.
Today’s event brings the clients into contact with ten companies, including the-government-as-employer. As in many countries there are restrictions on where refugees can work initially (though there are attempts being made to change the labour laws). Today’s firms include caterers, hospitality providers, bakeries and cleaning firms. People can also find work as drivers, babysitters/nannies or with care for elderly people.
Raid arrived from Khartoum. His father was dead. The cleaning job he landed enabled him to bring his mother to Egypt, and to rent a flat and provide for his family. All that is possible in Cairo for 160 euros per month. 38-year-old Regina Ayak also came from Sudan where her husband had been killed in the fighting. She had six children. Mama Mandera, who heads up the domestic service employment part of Refuge Egypt, tells me how she had recently been in touch with Regina who is settled in a domestic service job. She said, her response is the same as for many:
Thanks be to God.
Bassant liaises with other kinds of employer and tells me about a young female Sudanese former college student, Waffa, who demonstrated a gift for craft work, and who now has a sustainable job working with an artisan woodcraft outfit, some of whose work is for sale in the cathedral shop. In fact there are two shops on the site, each selling goods made or fashioned by disadvantaged people. Another former client is working with decorative glass. The project maintains contact for as long as is needed. The Anglican churches in the city all have special services for Sudanese people and these are a great support, offering spiritual solace and a means of socializing and sharing with others in the same situation.
Dr Eman’s enthusiasm is infectious, and her descriptions of what the Church is doing are both moving and salutary. As she hurries off to take part in the fair she gives a beaming smile and says,
please pray for us.
BREAKING NEWS!
Refuge Egypt Urgent Appeal - 27th June 2023
The number of Sudanese newcomers right now is overwhelming. Hundreds of people come to the church each day, many of whom line up outside as early as 5am. Their hope? To receive a simple bag of food, containing a few essentials such as rice, oil, lentils, and molasses. The UN does not supply the food and when supplies run short, we have to apply heart-wrenching cut-off criteria, and have to turn away everyone, even the neediest, to protect them from waiting all day in vain.
Download the appeal pdf below to read the full details of the current situation.
The Friends of the Anglican Province of Alexandria (FAPA) have launched an appeal to provide 1,000 food parcels per week.
- Each food bag costs £4 (GBP), which is 150 Egyptian Pounds.
- £4,000 can feed 1,000 families for one week.
- £16,000 can sponsor this effort for one month.
Donations should be sent direct to FAPA. Click here for a donation form.
- Bank transfer in UK Sterling to the FAPA account
- Cheques, payable to Friends of the Anglican Province of Alexandria, should be posted to FAPA Hon Secretary, E2 Marine Gate, Marine Drive, Brighton BN2 5TN UK
- Notify FAPA Hon Secretary if Gift Aid can be claimed on your donation.
