Egypt and U.S. Renovate Facility for Disadvantaged Children

Giza – The Egyptian and U.S. Governments joined together today to inaugurate a newly renovated facility to support the welfare of some of Egypt’s most needy children. 

Dur El Tarbeya, located in Giza, is a multi-purpose facility serving homeless and street children, and children in conflict with the law.  It is the largest of its kind in Egypt and operates under the close direction of the Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs.  Originally constructed in the 1950s, the entire site was in need of major repairs and refurbishment.

“This initiative is a result of a shared vision between the U.S. Government and the Egyptian government, that all children are protected from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation,” said U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson at the inauguration of Dur El Tarbeya today.  “These are the shared ideals between our governments that influenced the design and implementation of this program.”

The Secretary General of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood also attended the inauguration.

To modernize and upgrade the facilities, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Combating Violence against Women and Children project collaborated with experts from the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood to renovate two multipurpose facilities with dormitories and study rooms, as well as the main kitchen, dining room, playground and soccer field.  They also trained social workers and the Dur El Tarbeya administrators on working with children in difficult circumstances and provided the children themselves with additional training, services and coaching.

The project also includes renovation projects of the Cairo and Giza juvenile courts, and three juvenile reception facilities operated by NGOs in Cairo and Alexandria. 

For further information:

Please contact the Combating Violence against Women and Children Project at smourad@stopviolence-eg.com or visit http://egypt.usaid.gov.