By Dr. Laila Risgallah Wahba | Project Leader
I have been an entrepreneur since I was very young. My mother taught me to see the suffering of others and provide for their needs if I can safely do so. When I was in medical school, I became known by 'the doctor who brings gifts to her patients.' Working in a government hospital, where most patients were beyond poor, I grasped every opportunity to bring joy to their hearts and a smile on their faces. During my internship, I led a campaign to buy presents for all mothers at the hospital on Mothers' Day. Other times bought Mickey magazines to read to kids at the pediatric hospital during my night shifts.
When I graduated from medical school, got married, and had my own children, I realized what a challenge they faced as teenagers. I decided to start a TV show for youth that tackles all issues youth are too embarrassed to ask their parents or teachers about. In so doing, teens can make them make informed, intelligent life decisions.
The program had a viewership of 45 million a year. It was shown all over the Middle East as well as in the USA and Canada to Arabic speakers.
We produced 100 episodes.
Through the show, we started having youth camps. It was then that I realized that there were youth who suffered hurts, habits, and hang-ups because they have been sexually abused when they were young.
Some had drug and alcohol issues; others tried to commit suicide; others were porn addicts or cut themselves to ease their pain.
I felt I needed to gird myself with the knowledge to help those youth.
After my Ph.D. in childhood studies, I went on to study a bachelor of psychotherapy geared toward sexual abuse and trauma therapy.
In the meantime, I founded Not Guilty in 2009 and got the nonprofit status in 2012.
NOT GUILTY believes that putting down the fires of harassment and abuse will not be achieved solely by sterner laws. Prevention is always easier, better, and less costly than rehabilitation and treatment. This is why we have deemed it absolutely necessary to face this prevalent epidemic, criminalizing it in the minds of society, towards abolishing it.
Not Guilty's goal is to raise a generation of kids, youth, parents, leaders, and teachers who hate, refuse, and fight sexual abuse. Not Guilty is working towards achieving this goal through raising the awareness of the society with the dangers and consequences of sexual abuse in order to reach a safe environment and a community free of harassment and sexual abuse.
We believe that the efforts of the society's different institutions should be unified to face the ugly reality Egypt lives in. Not Guilty realizes that sexual abuse has never been the victim's fault, hence the name of our organization:" Not Guilty."
You can help.
In 2019 Not Guilty trained 1828 children aged 3-18 on how to protect themselves from sexual abuse, 250 parents, 60 girl scout leaders, and 26 teachers and caregivers.
In 2020 our goal is to train 2500 kids, 500 parents, 120 girl scouts, and 100 teachers and caregivers.
We need to raise 24K before 31 December 2019.
All your donations are tax-deductible.
As the year ends, we pray that the burden God put on your heart is still there and that you would consider setting up a monthly donation.
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