A London-based non-profit organisation, that supports children living in Egypt has received a donation of £2,000 from the team at Amazon’s head office in London.
Coptic Orphans works to improve the lives of children in Egypt facing poverty and social injustice, relying on a network of over 800 volunteers on the ground as well as through partnerships with local organisations. This year, Coptic Orphans is celebrating 35 years. Since the charity was founded in 1988, its network has helped transform the lives of over 75,000 children in Egypt.
George Soliman is a Strategic Projects Manager at Amazon and he nominated the charity to receive the donation.
When he was 18, George was accepted for a scholarship programme to move from his home in Egypt to study in the UK. He explained that education changed his life and the life of his family, and is passionate about seeing other Egyptian children receive the same opportunities he did.
“I came across Coptic Orphans about 10 years ago. The charity support specifically fatherless children in Egypt. The father is the main breadwinner in Egyptian culture, and often the fatherless don’t receive the support they need. Coptic Orphans steps in to support those families in need. The development organisation also looks after vulnerable girls and works to empower them and to improve their self-confidence. It does this through educational workshops that focus on a variety of topics including how to recognise sexual abuse and how to identify and tackle inequality.
“Something that I really like is their sponsorship model. After committing to a monthly donation, you are allocated a specific child and sent a brief bio about them. From then, you write one another letters and receive a school report twice a year about how they are progressing. I’ve sponsored one child for 10 years and got to watch him grow up through high school and graduate college.
“During lockdown I became passionate about running and started an online running group that gained over 500 members from all over the world. Together we raised $85,000. After this, I was invited to join the organisation as an ambassador, and then in July of this year I joined the board of directors in the UK.
“Amazon is a company passionate about the future, and how we can work towards a better future. By supporting Coptic Orphans, Amazon is providing opportunities for a brighter future for children who otherwise wouldn’t have one.”
Nermien Riad, Founder and Executive Director of Coptic Orphans added:
“On behalf of our team here in the UK, I want to say a big thank you to Amazon for this donation. We are passionate about ensuring fatherless children are given ample opportunity to reach their potential. It really means so much to have our efforts and vision recognised.”
The donation forms part of Amazon’s Volunteer Cash Donation Programme, where Amazon employees nominate local causes where they volunteer their time, to receive a cash donation from the company. In September, Amazon employees got together for Amazon’s Global Month of Volunteering, an initiative that aims to help the communities where they live and work. In collaboration with hundreds of community organisations around the world, Amazon employees participated and led in-person and virtual volunteering opportunities to support causes they’re passionate about.
“In September, we came together to help some incredible organisations who are making a real difference in the areas where our employees live and work,” said John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager. “It was fantastic to see our employees sharing their ideas and tapping into their passions to give back to our local communities.”
Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities in and around its operating locations across the UK. Amazon provides students, teachers and parents with free computer science and STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer and has teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to deliver more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas of the country.
Earlier this year, Amazon partnered with Comic Relief to become the official home of the Red Nose. Amazon employees across the UK hosted fundraising activities and together with their customers and partners, raised £2.7 million to support those going through the toughest time of their lives.
