Partnership Overview

For several years the Soul Salvation Society (SSS) has been providing medical assistance to the poor in Assiut which is the poorest Governate in Egypt. There are about 5 million people in this area, approximately 50% of them are Christians and 60% of them live below the poverty line. There is a huge need and medical help is a major issue. They have discovered that there is a large number of children with psychological issues, and they want to do something about it. 

They initially operated a medical centre in an old building until 2020. During the COVID period they renovated the building, and it is now a fully functioning clinic in the city. They see about 60 patients per day and have about 50,000 people on their books. They have about 60 Christian doctors who offer their time voluntarily to serve in the clinic. They offer 15 specialties. As well as the 60 doctors and specialists, they involve the medical students from the local university for practical experience. 

As well as the main clinic, they operate several medical outreaches a year to various parts of Egypt, local villages near to Assiut and the Middle East. 

As they have become increasingly involved in the community with the medical work and also with their learning centres, they have discovered the huge need for specialised care for many children. They are currently working with 40 children and their families to help them with issues such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy and Down's syndrome. There are no facilities to care for these young people in the city of 5 million people. 

They are doing what they can but want to establish a permanent clinic to assist children with disabilities and their families.  

History of Partnership

Since early 2022 BHW has been partnering with the SSS with a sewing project that has become a business and also the development of learning centres in rural villages around Assiut (EGY06). 

The SSS has several ministries operating in Assiut and wider than there. On a visit in 2023 we visited their medical clinic which had been newly re-established. It is an impressive facility and has grown significantly since that visit. In the interim they have discovered a huge need in the community with many disabled and autistic children. They and their families have no support and so the medical team has begun working with them. 

On a visit early in 2024 they asked BHW if we would consider assisting with the funding of a specialised room for the treatment of the children and supporting the operations of the centre. This was approved by the BHW Executive, and funding commenced in mid-2024. 

Beneficiaries

The children who have disabilities and their families.  

What We Like About The Partnership

These are great people with a compelling vision.
They are putting a lot of their own time and resources into the project.
They are dealing with the poorest of the poorest of the poor.
It is all being done in a Gospel environment.
When people take their children to government or private clinics, they do not get good care and are often ripped off.  

Key People

Leadership Profile

There is a group of doctors who oversee this, but the driving force is Dr NMK. He is a cardiologist who does some doctoring but is on the staff of the SSS. He is a family man, full of energy and on the worship team.  

Vision And Annual Strategy

Vision 

The vision is to set up a clinic with specialised staff to assist the children and families. This will involve the establishment of a well-equipped facility to maximise the impact of their treatment. 

Strategy

They are establishing a new place owned by the association in the community building to offer special services for these children. It will offer morning day care for the autistic children and provide early intervention which will greatly improve their learning skills. They will also provide both psychological and physical help to the parents and families of the children and train a team to offer an updated and high-quality service. 

This aspect of medical treatment is not part of Egyptian medicine. The training is very basic and not up to spec, so they want to train as well as provide care. 

While they are able to set up the facility they require assistance to:
1) Equip the place to offer the following with the specialized construction, devices and tools:
- A room for sensory integration and occupational therapy
- A room for physiotherapy and psychomotor development
- A place for the private and group therapy

2) Equipping the place with the needed administrative and logistic needs (office and computer systems) 

They will have rooms for three doctors and eight psychologists to operate from. They expect this to be very large, very soon. 

Annual Budget

There are two parts to this project:

1) Capital expenses (only required in 2024) - US$6,600
- The sensory equipment for the integration room 
- Instruments and equipment for the physiotherapy rooms
- Administrative system and computers 

2) Operations of the centre - US$6,600/year