Minister of Social Solidarity, President of Mansoura University, and the Governor of Dakahlia, give the start signal for the sports marathon to launch the “Yalla Kafala” initiative

Within the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, to build the Egyptian human being and provide all support to families in need of care, especially caring for orphans and providing all means of support for them.

Under the patronage of Prof. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Nevin Al-Qabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, Prof. Cherif Khater, President of Mansoura University, and Dr. Ayman Mukhtar, Governor of Dakahlia, launched the starting signal for the sports marathon to launch the “Yalla Kafala” initiative at Mansoura University, which aims to build the best possible future for orphans and kafala (guardianship/adoption) families and introducing society to the foster family system.

In the presence of Prof. Mohamed Attia Al-Bayoumi, Vice President of the University for Education and Students, Prof. Mohamed Abdel Azim, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development, Prof. Tarek Ghalwash, Vice President of the University for Postgraduate Studies and Research, deans and vice deans of faculties, faculty staff members and members of the parliament, Prof. Wael Abdel Aziz, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Solidarity in Dakahlia, Dr. Rasha Mekki, founder and CEO of the “Yalla Kafala” Foundation (YK), and representatives of civil society.

Dakahlia Governorate was chosen as one of the leading governorates in the field of alternative care to organize the sponsorship awareness campaign. The program’s activities will continue until November 25th  in partnership between the Yalla Kafala Foundation and Save the Children Organization. The events include various activities: artistic, sports, and seminars to raise community awareness of the concept of guardianship and adoption.

Dr. Nevin Al-Qabbaj said that His Excellency President Sisi recommended facilitating guardianship procedures by providing a safe environment and families of decent lineage, as his belief in the necessity of investing in people because it is an investment in the nation. She added that the Ministry of Social Solidarity is making continuous efforts to provide the maximum amount of care for children in foster families, in line with the state’s human rights policy, and pledged to facilitate all procedures for the “Yalla Kafala” Foundation and all institutions that aim to facilitate guardianship and adoption mechanisms for foster families.

She indicated that Mansoura University is one of the leading universities that provides all services that benefit the Egyptian citizen, and we continue to complete our achievements with Mansoura University. She also expressed her pleasure about the launch of the “Yalla Kafala” bus, sponsored by the governorate, specifically from the university.

She added that the state is focused on protecting these children socially, physically and to raise healthy, providing a decent life for them, including home and religious, cognitive, and cultural education, as the ministry is concerned with providing full care for the children. She said that the ministry provided facilities this year for foster families.

Prof. Cherif Khater said that His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, is one of his top priorities to support and care for orphans and families in need of care by providing all their needs. He directed the launch of several programs to support them, including the Solidarity and Dignity Program, the Social Protection Program, and the Sponsorship Bus Program. He pointed out that the role of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the efforts made during recent years and providing unlimited services and support to university students through the establishment of a social solidarity unit within the university. Training courses and awareness-raising activities were prepared for young students and graduates and activities related to economic empowerment and personality building programs, as well as providing material and in-kind assistance to students in need and those with disabilities, and contributing medical equipment to university hospitals. The university president also called for spreading the culture of this initiative among students and throughout the Delta and neighboring cities and governorates. He added that the university, a house of scientific and research expertise, plays a societal role in cooperation with the Ministry of Solidarity and all state institutions to spread all awareness programs for families and individuals about the issue of sponsorship and its importance, and to hold workshops to understand all aspects of the concept of guardianship and adoption (social, economic, legal, and psychological) during their integration into society.

Dr. Ayman Mukhtar indicated that His Excellency President Sisi pays great attention to the care of orphans by providing all their needs and directed the launch of many programs to support them through the Ministry of Social Solidarity in cooperation with all state institutions and civil society. He also talked about the need to spread the culture of foster families to care for and sponsor orphans and abandon the concept of care homes, because the idea of alternative families leaves a positive impact on the orphans and makes them feel a family atmosphere, which will have a positive impact on society. He said that all religions recommended caring for orphans and treating them well, and Allah commanded us in the Holy Qur’an to care for the orphan and treat him well, Allah says: “Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives and orphans”, and the Noble Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ﷺ gave good news to the sponsor of an orphan by accompanying him in Paradise in his noble hadith, where he said, “I and the one who takes care of an orphan will be in Paradise like these,” and he pointed with his index and middle fingers.

Dr. Rasha Mekki, founder and CEO of the “Yalla Kafala” Foundation, reviewed the services provided by the Foundation to foster and alternative families, adding that it provides training content to foster families under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Solidarity to familiarize them with how to deal with the orphans.