Help Children in Egypt

Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is located in northern Africa. One of the Arab world’s most populous countries, its teeming cities and much of its agricultural activity are concentrated along the banks of the Nile, while the rest of the country is mostly desert.

Known for its ancient civilization, today’s Egypt plays a central role in Middle Eastern politics – and it hosts a large population of refugees. Rapid population growth and limited arable land are straining the country's resources, and political unrest has often slowed government efforts to address issues of poverty, poor health and sanitation, plus a lack of educational and economic opportunities.

Save the Children is focused on Egypt’s most vulnerable children, including street children, child refugees and girls in rural communities, helping give them the chance to be healthy, learn and stay safe. Join us.

Challenges for Children in Egypt

Whether born into poverty or fleeing from atrocities thousands of miles away, without access to health care, nutrition, education and economic opportunity, plus protection from harm, children in Egypt need your help.

  • 1 child in 48 dies before their 5th birthday, 3 times the U.S. rate
  • 22% of children suffer from stunting due to malnutrition
  • 7% of children are out of school, and 34% of girls (15+) struggle to read and write
  • 25% of girls (ages 15-19) are married, and 1 in 19 gives birth
  • 28% of people live in poverty
Map of Egypt

Our Results for Children in Egypt

Thanks to supporters just like you, we changed the lives of over 165,000 children in Egypt we last year. We’ve also helped Egypt make significant gains in ending preventable child deaths – reducing child mortality by 53% since 2000.

Young, colorfully-dressed Sabeen, age 15, knowingly tends to some goats.

Forced to drop out of school in fourth grade to help support her family, 15-year-old Sabine is now getting an education, with plans to begin her own livestock business, thanks to supporters like you.

  • 36,000 children healthy and nourished
  • 119,000 children educated and empowered
  • 10,000 children protected from harm
  • 8,000 children lifted from poverty
  • 14,000 children aided in crisis

Our Work for Children in Egypt

Save the Children has been a leading charity for children in Egypt since 1982.We work to address the needs and rights of the most vulnerable girls and boys, their families and communities.

Our programs focus on maternal and child health, early childhood care and development, basic education, adolescent and youth development and child protection. We also address the needs of vulnerable refugee children and their families.

Here are some recent examples of our work:

A healthy start in life

  • We’re improving the health of mothers and children, enhancing caregiving knowledge and practices, reducing infant malnutrition, strengthening community health systems and filling in gaps in food and health care access
  • We provided over 30 mobile health caravans to conduct medical exams and meet the needs of mothers and babies in remote areas
  • We renovated school latrines and handwashing facilitates, so children, including those with disabilities, can stay healthy and in school

The opportunity to learn

  • Our early childhood programs help prepare toddlers and young children for school by giving them access to quality preschools and early literacy programs
  • Our primary school programs work to transform students into lifelong learners by building strong curriculums and passionate teachers
  • We adopted our Building Brighter Brains approach, with a focus on cognitive and physical development, including parent training for children with disabilities
  • We’re providing health education and care to children in need through our school health programs to help children stay healthy, well-nourished and in school
  • We’re working with the government to combat poverty by empowering youth to participate in entrepreneurial activities

Protection from harm

  • We’re working to protect girls and boys from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence; ensure children live in a protective environment; and help develop stronger national policies and standards for at-risk children
  • We strengthened and expanded our Healing and Education through the Arts (HEART) psychosocial support program for vulnerable Egyptian and refugee children, integrating the program into schools and child-friendly spaces

Gender equality and empowerment

  • Through our Ishraq program, we provide safe spaces for girls who have dropped out of school, so they can learn, socialize and develop life skills, with resulting changes among boys: decreases in acceptance of violence against girls, greater support for girls’ mobility and schooling, and agreement that girls should make their own decisions about marriage
  • We’re promoting equal treatment for girls by working with young boys and adolescents in our Choices program in rural Egypt to improve their views on girls and girls’ role in Egyptian society, with the goal of keeping girls in school and stopping gender-based violence
  • Through our Women’s Equity through Economic Empowerment project, we helped disadvantaged women start, sustain and scale up small businesses to help alleviate poverty and reduce barriers to women’s economic participation

Emergency response

  • We conducted a situational analysis of refuges and other vulnerable populations to determine gaps in health, education and protection, so we can effectively address the needs
  • We continue to reach thousands of displaced and refugee children through our child-friendly spaces, where we provide supervised, supportive psychosocial care and activities
  • Our teams are a daily presence in refugee camps and host communities, where we run food and nutrition programs, offer health care and support children in recovery from the distress of their war experiences – benefitting hundreds of thousands of children

How to Help Children in Egypt

You can create change that lasts a lifetime for children in Egypt – in so many ways.

A young girl stands behind a fence at a refugee camp. She and her family are among the 3.1 displaced people in Iraq. Due to armed conflict the family of eight, were forced to leave their home and flee. Photo Credit: CJ Clarke/Save the Children 2015.

Donate
Support Save the Children’s mission. Donate to help children in Egypt and around the world grow up healthy, educated and safe.

In Cambodia, a young girl stands near the shoreline where debris has washed up.

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Join Team Tomorrow and your monthly donation will go toward addressing the needs of children affected by today’s most urgent issues. 

A mother in the middle east holds her child and a refugee basics bag from Save the Children relief efforts. Photo Credit: Save the Children 2016.

Browse the Gift Catalog
Give a meaningful gift that will help transform children’s lives and futures in Egypt and beyond. There’s something for everyone!

Sources: Facts and statistics have been sourced from Save the Children’s monitoring and evaluation experts, as well as our thought leadership publications, including our Global Childhood Report 2020 and Stop the War on Children 2020 report. Other sources include CIA World Factbook and BBC Country Profiles.

Photos: Joseph Raouf / Save the Children.

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