EG 02 - SUPPORT FOR THE “SACRA FAMIGLIA” SCHOOL
Project Location
The girls’ school “Sacra Famiglia” is located in Helwan city south of Cairo. It is a city full of life, composed of a population that came from different parts of Egypt in search of work, Helwan being an industrial city. Most of the people belong to the middle class and the salary is not in line with the cost of living that is increasing every day. The majority of the population is of Islamic religion and the Christians are Orthodox Copts, Protestants and a small number of Catholics.
The school was founded in 1888 when the Kidevi Mohammad Taufik Pasha allowed the construction of the mission schools. Fr. Casimiro Giacomelli in collaboration with the Comboni Sister, Sr. Francesca Dal Masso, thus began the construction of the primary school, giving the right to Egyptian girls to access education. The school began its activity on September 1, 1888. In 1962 a decree was issued that required that the director of the school must be Egyptian. The current director is Sr. Amal Gerges Habib.
Project description
Currently the school offers educational services to 870 students from kindergarten to middle school and is known for its good educational quality. In addition to studies, it offers a possibility of coexistence since most of the students are of Islamic religion, it educates them to respect the diversity of religion, culture and race. The number of employees in the school is 77.
Over time the school has developed according to the financial possibility and the need for more spaces to give the opportunity to more girls to be educated. In 1978 the middle school began and now, listening to the request of the parents and taking into account the support of the Ministry of Education, they would like to continue the study up to the upper classes.
Unfortunately, the economic situation nowadays in Egypt is very precarious due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Palestine and the school fees, paid by each student, are barely enough to cover the various expenses and start the secondary classes. At the same time, the demands of the Ministry of Education are very demanding and must be followed in order to be at the same level as all schools in the country.
To do this, the school should update itself in terms of new technologies in order to increase the level of education. To this end, the management sees the need to have electronic blackboards for the new upper classes, to strengthen the internet network and to equip a computer lab and a chemical lab.
Objectives
- Update the school in terms of new technologies in order to open new secondary classes
- Strengthen the school's internet network
- Equip a chemistry and computer lab to follow government directives
- Offer quality education
Beneficiaries
Direct: the 870 students and in particular the 240 of the new secondary classes
Indirect: the families and society
Referent sister of the project: Amal Gerges Habib
Project's costs