Financial Inclusion in Egypt - Empower 8000 women

Dear Friend,

Thanks to your love, prayers, and support, 2016 marked a year of celebrating the truly inspiring mothers of the B’edaya initiative, and witnessing God reward their faith, perseverance, and hard work.

These mothers are heroes to all of us, and by God’s grace, we’re blessed to provide them with both microloans and coaching in entrepreneurial skills to develop their inborn determination, ingenuity, and business-savvy.

Imagine the insurmountable barriers a poor, uneducated widow rooted in the conservative traditions of Upper Egypt must face. How she dresses, who she talks to and what she says, where she goes — all of these are subject to scrutiny and control by her community. Frequently, she can’t even leave the house to work, even if her children are malnourished. She is forced to accept a fate of destitution in the name of honor. But where is the honor in helplessness and handouts?

B’edaya was designed to counter these hostile conditions that most disadvantaged widows in Egypt face, particularly those in remote villages. The small loans are tailored to give a widow the opportunity to generate income, have control over her own life, and be an example of resilience and a source of pride for her family.

Several of the mothers were receiving B’edaya loans for a second time, after running and expanding their income-generating projects. The projects ranged from raising and selling cattle and selling livestock feed, to running an ironing service and styling hair.

B’edaya in 2016 provided an opportunity for the mothers to take part in basic financial training, network, and share their experiences and hard-earned wisdom with other participants.

B’edaya microloans are offered at 0% interest for 26 months, with the first six months considered a grace period for repayment, followed by six equal installments spaced four months apart. The loans disbursed to each recipient vary in size according to the amount requested and assessment by the B’edaya selection committee. Along with their loans, these entrepreneurial mothers receive support through quarterly home visits by Coptic Orphans staff and volunteers, who monitor the progress of the projects and provide regular coaching.

Today, B’edaya mothers run businesses of every kind in their own communities. B’edaya shows what women can do when set on the path of self-sufficiency — not dependence on charity.

Better still, B’edaya’s impact is more than material. The key outcome is the widows’ frequently expressed sense of increased self-worth and dignity.

No one expresses this better than one of the participating mothers, Nahed:

“From the income I generated, I was able to pay back my first loan, and renovate my kitchen, bathroom, and living room. For the first time, I feel proud of myself.”

Thanks to the generous support from donors all over the world, in 2016 the Coptic Orphans family moved closer to the goal of empowering Egypt’s women through microfinance!

*Names and details changed to protect the privacy and dignity of B’edaya participants

You might be surprised to know that whenever I think of the mothers in B’edaya, the first thing that comes to mind is not money, but dignity.

In fact, dignity was the first thing I noticed about Menrit, a mother I met recently in Egypt.

From her home in Assiut, using B’edaya funding and coaching, Menrit has grown a large sewing business. Sheets, pillow cases, quilts, and furniture covers are all part of her product line.

Success hasn’t gone to her head – in fact, she’s remained a very humble person. I witnessed how she sought advice about good parenting from Coptic Orphans’ Church-based volunteer Reps.

She was very focused on becoming a better mother to her four children, and everything she did, she did with dignity.

Menrit recalled for me a Coptic Orphans workshop about the Five Love Languages, in which she was offered perspectives on how to verbalize the affection she feels for her children.  

Her memory of the workshop was so vivid that she was able to recount how five Reps with five partially full glasses of water (representing the five love languages) poured all their water into one glass, filling it to the brim.

“It represented the need for all five love languages for raising children,” she told me.

Menrit brought such a kind and dignified presence to each encounter with others, making me feel honored that Coptic Orphans, through B’edaya and other programs, has been able to add to her knowledge and experiences.

It’s for people like Menrit that B’edaya exists. All the microfinance initiative does is help bring out the strengths and talents that these widowed mothers already have.

Thank you for your role in ensuring that people like Menrit get support to achieve their dream of financial independence for their families.

As anyone who’s ever stood on their own two feet knows, independence is the root of dignity. We’re grateful that, by God’s grace and through your support, B’edaya can support that for women like Menrit.  

*Names and details changed to protect the dignity and privacy of B'edaya mothers.