FACE will renovate and manage the orphanage of Benha (for children between 2 and 6 years) with the support of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

 

 

The steps behind this project are as follows:

  1. FACE needs an orphanage that can welcome babies from the centres of Hegazy and Maadi which were taken on and created respectively since 2003 and 2007 by FACE. Indeed, the law obliges these babies to leave these centres as soon as they have reached the age of 2.
  2. Facing the need, FACE took contact with the Ministry. While understanding and supporting FACE, the Government proposed that FACE take different buildings to accommodate this orphanage. After visiting 4 different orphanages, it was finally Benha which was chosen by FACE. Renovation works will be necessary to renovate and make the orphanage bigger.
  3. FACE will also assume responsibility for improving the level of care provided to children who already live in Benha.

 

State of the building (before renovation):


              Facade                                    Playroom                               Kitchen                                   Bedroom

 

The reasons why the orphanage of Benha was chosen by FACE:

  • Place which can be welcoming after renovation
  • Existing orphanage which really needs help
  • FACE has the opportunity to establish its own rules of behavior and can decide to not further work with non-competent staff or with staff who would not accept the new rules and conditions of work.
  • Building from the Ministry of Social Affairs, which strengthens the collaboration between the Government and FACE, an important factor for the long-term sustainability of the project.
  • It is located next to 2 orphanages for boys and girls (as of 6 years old) that FACE could take over mid term.


This orphanage of Benha will allow children to continue to live with their nursery nurse, to keep some stability and affective safety while growing  with their friends "by birth". It will also allow them to get the necessary care for their future development.

 

With its gained expertise of 6 years in this area, FACE will initially focus on the orphanage of Benha and welcome children between 2 and 6 years. The mid term objective would be to renovate and manage the other 2 orphanages in order to ensure continuity for the children who are 6 years old or more. (the law obliges girls and boys to be separated as of the age of 6).

 

This project will also be necessary for the street children. Indeed, for the children whose reintegration within the family is not possible, they will get the "last" chance to live and grow in the centre of Benha. It is important to remind that one of the priorities of FACE is to try and reintegrate the child within his/her family.  FACE will fight for this because an orphanage is not a natural environment for the development of a child.

 

Next to this, Egyptian law does not recognize adoption in the Western sense. However, the concept of « Kafala » exists: a muslim couple of Egyptian nationality can foster an orphanned child.

 

FACE is currently embarked on a detailed investigation of the system of «Kafala» in Egypt, in order to identify incompatibilities between the law and what actually happens in the field so as to propose a working solution. The Ministry of Social Affairs supports FACE in this initiative and will subsequently take the responsibility for a possible change in laws of Kafala.