Egypt

The Zabbalin in Moytamedeia

Moytamadeia is one of the many informal settlements and one of Cairo's waste processing districts. Originally illegally built, it is still on the fringes of Egyptian society today. Several thousand people earn their living by collecting and separating garbage. Many families have little education, leaving them with only the alternative between working as waste collectors ("zabbalin") and a life of unemployment. Many children also have to actively participate in the waste separation of their families.

Project location:
Cairo

Number of children supported: 430

Type of support:
medical care, dental hygiene, glasses for school children

Period of support:
since 2020

The Es Salam School:

To break out of this vicious circle, schools have an important role to play. However, education is scarce in Moytamadeia. State schools and kindergartens do not exist. Private initiative is required here. Like an oasis, the private Es Salam School (School of Peace) lies in the middle of Moytamadeia. This school was founded in 1988 on the initiative of the German religious sister Maria Grabis.

Today the school is run by the NGO EDAM (Environmental Development Association Moytama-deia). 430 children, Muslims and Christians, are taught together in grades 1 to 9 and are led to the middle school leaving certificate. In the Sister Mary Kindergarten two classes are looked after and prepared for school. A sewing school is also connected. Here experienced women train the girls in sewing with the machine and in embroidery.

Primavera help:

Medical care for children as we know it is not common in Egypt. In particular, dental hygiene and eye optics are great challenges. Together with EDAM and the Yalla e.V. association, Pri-mavera finances annual medical check-ups: general medical examination, examination by dentists and external medical check-up. In addition, glasses, toothbrushes and toothpaste are provided for the children. A lot can be achieved with comparatively little money.

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