Dear Fathers and beloved brethren, friends of BLESS U.K.
May the love and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon us all.
Furthermore, beloved brethren, I would like to thank your kindness and generosity for what we received from you during 2015 to serve the Lord’s brethren in Egypt. During 1/1-31/12/2015, we received GBP 100,000.- ( One Hundred Thousand GBP ) equivalent to EGP 1,183,750.- ( One Million , one Hundred eighty three Thousands , Seven Hundred and fifty Pounds ). As follows:
Date Amount in Equivalent in G.B.P L.E. 9 March,2015 25,000.- 281,250.-- 21 July,2015 25,000.- 302,500.- 19 October,2015 25,000.- 308,750.- 30 25,000.- 291,250.-- December,2015 Total 100,000.- 1,183,750.--
I. Report on AGHAPY Programme during 2015
Thanks to God, who sent us last year the amount of EGP 15,261,654.43 for AGHAPY Programme, as follows: From Amount Amount in EGP 1- BLESS USA. US$ 985,000.-- 7,549,600.-- 2- C.O.P.T.S in Australia Aus$ 491,100.-- 2,806,622.18 3- BLESS U.K. G.B.P. 100,000.-- 1,183,750.-- 4- BLESS Canada US$ 60,000.-- 461,965.57 4- Local Contribution ( Our Beloved in Egypt and productive 3,259,676.65 centres of BLESS ) Total 15,261,654.43
Also, during 2015 - BLESS has delivered donations for specified Dioceses and churches according to the donors will amounted in currencies as follows: From Amount Amount in EGP 1- BLESS USA. US$ 20,000.-- 156,400.-- 2- C.O.P.T.S in Australia Aus$ 1,582,170.-- 8,999,464.69
Through the Lord's grace, loan balance on 31 December,2015 is Nil balance as Aghapy program has repaid from local contribution the loan balance amount of EGP 995,102.31,
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During the last year, through the Lord’s grace, the expenditures to cover the needs of the poor and needy brethren were as follows:
1- Support for Households Programme
Through the Lord’s grace, the total amount spent in 2015 for households who lost their breadwinner and those without a fixed source of income was EGP 1,806,964.- for 1504 households monthly.
2- Healthcare & Disability Assistance Programme
Through the Lord’s grace in 2015, we provided healthcare assistance for patients in need of all sorts of healthcare. The amount spent was EGP 5,867,522.75 The following table shows healthcare expenditures in 2015 compared with 2014: Item 2014 2015 # Amount in # Amount in
Cases EGP Cases EGP 1- Monthly healthcare assistance for 413 587,815.- 400 545,895.- chronic and acute diseases 2- Medication for various cases 2090 605,166.75 2220 648,874.25 3- Hepatitis treatment 153 430,024.- 120 287,787.- 4- Analyses and radiology 281 37,976.- 205 18,569.- 5- Orphan, elderly and mental illness 127 106,750.- 142 110,650.- care 6- Operations and hospital fees 767 516,481.50 742 497,890.50 7- Prosthetics 61 151,973.20 47 134,507.- 8- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment 98 3,535,275.25 77 1,748,469.- 9- Eye surgeries 451 387,821.- 422 313,646.50 10-Contributions to tumour treatment 47 264,449.- 45 353,915.- and surgeries 11- Contributions to kidney 124 341,133.- 171 751,569.50 transplantation. 12- Treatment of Addicts 64 443,985.- 76 455,750.-
Total treatment 5512 7,408,849.70 4667 5,867,522.75 -3- NB: I would like to remind you dear beloved that since a few years, we have organized the service of the patients with serious diseases in collaboration with major churches in Cairo, so that the Bishopric would be responsible for hepatitis, MS and eye patients, while St. Mary Church, Ard el-Golf, for instance, for tumour and kidney patients, and so on. 3- Education Assistance Programme
In 2015, through the Lord’s grace, we spent EGP 145,705.- as follows: - Academic year assistance for 1282 students: EGP 127,270.- - Monthly assistance for 120 students over academic months with a total of EGP 18,435.- 4- Marriage Assistance Programme
In 2015, through the Lord’s grace Cases from among the Lord’s brethren were 2705 girls with a total of EGP 3,246,497.25. 5- Emergency Aid Programme
Through the Lord’s grace in 2015, we spent EGP 706,025.56 as follows: - Contributions to various emergencies (late rentals, emergency aids, basic food contributions, driving license fees, etc.) amounted to EGP 430,020.56 for 2995 cases. - Payments were made at EGP 276,005.- for 85 cases indebted with certificates of deposition in trust, where with much poverty and ignorance, many of our simple people are subject to greedy tradesmen abusing their ignorance, so that some may buy a fridge, TV or clothes in instalments in return for a certificate of deposition - in trust of the total amount, besides interests payable (which sometimes are multiples of ordinary interests). The buyer would then pay first instalments regularly but would default in the rest, so the tradesman would provide the certificate to the prosecutor’s office, and the buyer would then be imprisoned for very few thousands of pounds. We negotiate with debtors and pay a reasonable amount in return for dissuading them from providing such certificates to the prosecutors’ office. -4-
6- Housing & Infrastructure Programme
Through the Lord’s grace in 2015 , we provided infrastructure and housing needs for 4234 households at EGP 1,875,968.- in different places all over Egypt, mainly through:
First: St. Verena Group (Greater Cairo Sector): The St. Verena Group serves those who have no one to care for in poor and informal areas in Greater Cairo and suburbs: Abu Regeila, Khosous ,El Shader, Sharabia Mahmasha, Sharabia – El Hekr, Eastern Marg, Western Marg, Mattarya, M’otamadia, El Maasara, Imbaba, Geziret el-Warraq, Hadayeq el-Qobba, Mu’assasset el-Zaka (Hod el-Tawil ), Mu’assasset el-Zaka (Hod Galal ), Dar El Salam, Shubra A (Ezbet Girgis, , Hafzia,Gesr el-Bahr), Shubra B (Ezbet Safih, Hekr Ezzat, Abul farag), Shubra el-Kheima, Ezbet el-Nakhl A, Ezbet el-Nakhl B, Zaraeib Ezbet El Nahkl Warrak, Ezbet El Ward, Eastern Ain Shams, Western Ain Shams, Ezbet Khir Allah, Faysal,Madinet El Nour, Warak El Hadar, Warak El Arab. The Group serves the elderly and ill who cannot go to church to ask for their needs. In addition to providing infrastructure and housing needs, this service provides healthcare services, health awareness, contributions to basic foods, as well as a spiritual service.
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The following table shows infrastructure implemented in 2015:
Clean Sanitation Electricity Restoring Installing Social water walls & doors & support Area Ceiling slabs windows 1- Abu Regeila 2 - 1 - 4 2 17 2- Khosous - - - 1 3 - 53 3- El Shader - - 11 1 26 - 11 4- Sharabia Mahmasha - - 4 - 3 5 6 5- Sharabia – El Hekr 1 - 11 1 10 2 10 6- Eastern Marg 1 - 3 3 2 3 37 7- Western Marg 1 1 31 3 11 6 40 8- Mattarya 2 - 2 1 5 1 28 9- M’otamadia - - 10 - - - 34 10- El Maasara 2 1 - 4 36 17 35 11- Imbaba 1 3 17 1 13 1 20 12- Geziret el-Warraq 24 4 - 3 36 9 71 13- Hadayeq el-Qobba - - 4 - 7 - 29 14- Mu’assasset el-Zaka (Hod el- 6 1 25 - 7 8 1041 Tawil ) 15- Mu’assasset el-Zaka (Hod 23 1 3 7 31 77 1077 Galal ) 16- Dar El Salam - - 5 - 14 - 24 17- Shubra A (Ezbet Girgis, , - - 2 - 4 4 20 Hafzia,Gesr el-Bahr) 18- Shubra B (Ezbet Safih, Hekr 2 - 3 - 5 2 15 Ezzat, Abul farag) 19 - Shubra el-Kheima - - - 3 3 - 21 20- Ezbet el-Nakhl A - 2 4 1 - - 33 21- Ezbet el-Nakhl B 1 - - 2 - 4 42 22- Zaraeib Ezbet El Nahkl 1 - 9 - 5 1 8 Warrak 23- Ezbet El Ward - - - - 1 1 12 24- Eastern Ain Shams - - 3 1 3 - 34 25- Western Ain Shams - - 2 1 2 8 9 26- Ezbet Khir Allah - - 4 1 5 - 12 27- Faysal 1 - 10 5 15 6 19 28- Madinet El Nour 1 3 12 12 22 9 9 29- Warak El Hadar - 3 9 1 - - 22 30- Warak El Arab - - - 1 6 1 5
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Second: The Seven Deacons Group Service (serving Coptic minorities in poor villages and hamlets):
Through the Lord’s grace in 2015, BLESS supported many of our people Copts who live in remote villages and hamlets and constitute a very small segment of their communities to meet their basic needs in these areas, such as connecting clean water, sanitation, building ceilings, restoring walls and slabs, installing doors and windows, as well as raising their spiritual, intellectual, health and economic awareness. The service currently includes the following areas:
1- 8 villages in Shebin el-Qanater and Benha Dioceses: Kafr Attala,Mina barah, Kafr El Akram , El Ramala, Taha Shubra, El Nabarawi, Wadi El Natron and Hares. 2- 3 communities on the outskirts of Mallawi : Halaga, Gharb El Genina and El amia 3- 5 villages in Gerga Diocese : El Awamer, El Abadia, Mangog, , Sheikh El Arab. 4- 5 villages in Sohag Diocese : El Osairat, El Monshaa, Dar El Salam and El Shouhada. 5- 4 villages in Akhmim Diocese : El Awamia, El Hawawish, Awlad Azaz,El Ezba and El Arab. 6- 2 villages in El Baliana Diocese : El Kosheh & Sheikh Marzouk. 7- 2 villages in Nagaa Hamadi Diocese : Salamia & El Manshia. 8- Kom El Arab village in Tema Diocese. 9- The Eastern part in Nagada. 10- El Odaisat village in Luxor Diocese . 11- 10 villages in Aswan Diocese : Balana , Daraw, Kom ombo, El Radisia, El Shmakhia, Nag El Saeih and El Sebaeia.
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- The following table shows infrastructure implemented from 1/1- 31/12/2015 in such villages and hamlets:
Area ceiling Clean Sanitation Electricity Restoring Installing Social water walls & doors & support slabs windows 1- Qaliubeyya: - Kafr Attala 5 1 1 1 103 15 - - Mina Bara 1 - - - 8 - - - Kafr El Akram 1 1 1 - 2 2 - - Taha Shubra 1 - - - 9 - - - El Ramla 4 1 1 - - - - - Nabrawi 12 4 4 - 16 - - - Wadi El Natron ------114 - Hares ------2
2- Mallawi: - El Halaga 10 2 5 2 3 9 21 - Gharb El Genina 3 1 - 2 1 7 34 - El Amiaa - 2 7 3 1 5 15 3- Gerga - El Awamer - 1 1 - 1 - 41 - El Beadia 1 - 1 - - - 32 - Mangog - 5 - - - - 50 - El Shawalah 2 - 2 - 5 - 61 - Sheikh El Arab 2 1 1 - 1 4 40 4- Sohag - El Osirat 9 1 3 7 7 7 56 - El Monshaa - - - - - 1 35 - Dar El Salam - 2 - - - - 40 - El Shohada - 2 1 - - 5 33 ------47 5- Akhmim - El Awaima - 1 1 - - - - - El Hawawish - 2 2 - - - 15 - Awlad Azaz - 1 2 - - - 20 - Elezba & El Arab - 1 2 - - - 25 6- Baliana - El Kosheh 1 - 10 - 10 - 10 - Sheikh Marzouk 1 - - - - - 30 7- Tema - Kom El Arab - - 1 - 1 - 22
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Area ceiling Clean Sanitation Electricity Restoring Installing Other water walls & doors & Services slabs windows 8- Nagada - Nagada - - - - - 5 20 9- Essna - Essna ------40 10- Luxor - El Odaissat - - - - 2 - 40 11- Aswan - Belana - 1 - 1 - - - - Daraw, 1 - - - - - 17 - KomOmbo - - - - 1 - 3 - Redisia 1 ------Shemahkia 2 - - - - - 12 - Memaria 1 - - - - - 5 - Nageh El Saeih 1 - - - 1 - 2 - Sebayia ------12
7- Income-Generation Projects Programme
- In the year 2014, through the Lord’s grace, BLESS has established an office for BLESS's work in most of Egypt's Dioceses .. ,one of the most important activities for that office is implementing small income generating projects
- Through the Lord’s grace in 2015, BLESS implemented small projects in many areas in greater Cairo and Giza which were : • Abu El Farag, El Moliha, El Kosirin , madinet El Nour, Warak, Bashtil, Imbaba, Mo'aatamadia. - Also BLESS implemented small projects in many areas in both Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt which were : • Shebin El Kanater, Shubra El Khima, Maasara and Helwan, Behira, Beba and El fashn, Beni Suief, Der Moaas and Delga, Dairut and Sanbo, Der El Meharak, Abnoub and El Fateh, Baliana. - The total small income generating projects implemented in 2015 were 136 projects at cost of EGP 208,175.- .
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- Projects implemented were: cereal packaging, selling ready-made food, overlock machines, silk screen printing, mobile accessories, small ovens, car maintenance toolkit, making and selling plastic bags, making and selling shoes, selling vegetables , making keys, centrals, mobile recharge cards, sewing machines, selling electrical appliances, rickshaws, dry cereals, poultry, ready-made garments, Wonen Accessories, selling plumbing tools, home tools,Oils workshop, Manufactring Gybsium forums..
8- Libya Martyrs during the year 2015
- Through the Lord’s grace in February 2015, BLESS has sent immediate support amounted in L.E. 330,000.-.to the families of the Coptic martyrs in Libya .. in their village in Samalout .
9- Disable Service
Through the Lord’s grace in 2015, BLESS has started a new service of caring, Habilitation and inclusion for the Disabled by a budget amounted EGP 1,095,199.47.
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The following table shows service expansion this year compared with the last.
Programme 2014 2015
# Amount in # Amount in
Cases EGP Cases EGP
1- Support for households 1486 1,694,010.- 1504 1,806,964.-
2- Healthcare & disability assistance 5512 7,408,849.70 4665 5,867,522.75
3- Education assistance 1566 108,100.- 1402 145,705.-
4- Marriage assistance 2618 3,140,950.- 2705 3,246,497.25
5- Sudan & emergency assistance 5310 1,209,562.58 3080 706025.56
6- Infrastructure and housing needs 4202 1845,360.- 4234 1,875,968.-
7- Income-generating projects 874 1,011,500.- 136 208,175.-
8- Affected people by violence events -- 140,000.- 330,000.- Libya Martyrs during 2014
9- Disable Service 1,095,199.47
Total AGHAPY Programme Expenses 16,558,332.28 15,282,057.03
*** You may notice my beloved that the number of students who have been assisted in 2015 less than 2014 .. because BLESS has coordinated with some churches in Heliopolis to contribute to this service.
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Dear beloved, before ending this report, I would like to display some examples of the lives of our dear brethren, brethren of the Lord, who give us the blessing of their service in Egypt: (1) Family of Mr. N.O. , from El-Nabarawi Village, Lower Egypt
Family social - Mr. N.O. is married and has 3 children in different education status stages. - He left Upper Egypt looking for work. He got a casual work with low income. - He rented a modest place to live in ( only one room ) , unhealthy as there is neither pure water nor electricity. - He bought with all his savings a small area of land in the suburbs of the village. BLESS 1. House building with a ceiling ( 3 rooms + hall ). contribution 2. Constructing a bathroom. 3. Connecting pure water. 4. Connecting electricity. 5. Setting up a project of dry goods (foodstuffs).
(2) Mr. N. G, from Sendenhor Village, Lower Egypt
Family social - Mr. N.G. is married, has 3 daughters in different education status stages. He works as a casual worker with low income. Church assists in the management of necessities of living . - His house consists of one room and a hall, of red bricks, with neither a ceiling, doors , windows, WC, nor pure water. BLESS 1. House rebuilding with a ceiling ( 2 rooms + hall + WC ). contribution 2. Connecting pure water & electricity. 3. Installing doors and windows. 4. Origination a cattle breeding project to be a source of income for the family. 5. BLESS also covered the expenses of the eldest daughter marriage & is sharing nowadays in expenses of the second one marriage . -12-
(3) Mr. G.F, from Zawatna village, Lower Egypt
Family status - Mr. G.F. is married . He has 3 children in different education stages. He suffers from brain disease. . He works as a casual worker with low income. Church assists in the management of necessities of living. - His house consists of only one room of red bricks, with a wooden ceiling, neither doors , windows, WC, nor pure water. BLESS 1. House rebuilding with a ceiling ( 2 rooms + hall + WC ). contribution 2. Connecting pure water & electricity. 3. Installing doors and windows. 4. Building a ceiling. 5. Setting up a project of dry goods (foodstuffs).
(4) Mrs. S.K, from Sheblanga village, Lower Egypt
Family - Mrs. S.K. is a widow and has a girl studies in faculty of commerce & a social status son studies in secondary school. She lives in her mother in low modest house ( only one room in ground floor . A small bathroom with no door. BLESS 1. Building an apartment for her own (2 rooms + hall + WC). contribution 2. Connecting pure water. 3. Building a ceiling. 4. Setting up a project of dry goods (foodstuffs). 5. BLESS also is sharing nowadays in expenses of marriage her daughter.
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5) Family of Mrs. N. L. , from El-Ossirat Village, Upper Egypt
Family - Mrs. N.L. is a widow and has 4 children in different education social status stages. - Her house was one room with a wooden ceiling, and a hall with no ceiling .. Also there is no WC. - The wooden room ceiling doesn’t protect from summer's heat or winter's cold which made them suffered from Orthopaedics. BLESS 1. Building a ceiling. contribution 2. Constructing a bathroom. 3. Buying beds. 4. Establishing a project of dry goods (foodstuffs).
(6) Family of Mrs. Z.M. , from El Monshaa Village, Upper Egypt
Family social - Mrs. Z. M. is a widow and has 3 girls .. she suffers from joint status pains. - Her house consists of 2 rooms and has neither a ceiling , windows, doors nor WC. BLESS 1. Connecting pure water. contribution 2. Building a ceiling. 3. Installing doors and windows. 4. Constructing a bathroom.
(7) Mrs. Sh. M., from Nag El-Shuhadaa village, Upper Egypt
Family - Mrs. Sh.M. is a widow. She has 5 children in different education status stages. She suffers from diseases in respiration and bones. Her house consists of one room and a hall, of red bricks, with neither a ceiling, doors , windows,WC, nor pure water. BLESS 1. Constructing a bathroom. contribution 2. Connecting pure water. 3. Building a ceiling. 4. Establishing a project of grocery (foodstuffs). -14- (8) Mr. Sh. Z., from Dar El Salam village, Upper Egypt
Family - Mr. Sh. Z. has 5 children in different ages. He became unable to work social status because of his illness. His house consists of only one room where all the family sleep in. BLESS 1. Building 2 other rooms. contribution 2. Constructing a bathroom. 3. Connecting pure water. 4. Buying beds. 5. Establishing a bakery. 9) Patient S.H. from one of the areas served in Greater Cairo
Family - S.K. is 40 year-old, MS patient, her father is dead and her mother is Condition 70 year-old and cannot move. Two unmarried, unemployed sisters (50- and 40-year old) also live in the same house. - Patient “S” works as part-timer in a shoe shop (due to her health condition) for a 400 LE salary. - Cost of treatment per month is 4800 LE, for the medicine “Relif” injection, in addition to other medicines with the cost of 500 LE.
Bishopric The Bishopric covers the whole cost of injections. Contribution
(10) Patient “H.S.” from Menoufia Governorate
Family - H.S. is 40 year-old, MS patient, married with three children, and Condition provides for his elderly mother. He lives with his family in his father’s house. - “H.S.” does not work due to his illness which affects movement. - The Church provided him with a grocery shop to help him provide for his living cost. He and his wife work in the shop. - The Church covers 600 LE of the monthly cost of treatment injections.
Bishopric - The Bishopric covers the rest of injection monthly costs: 4200 LE. Contribution
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(11) University Student G. F. ,
Father - Deceased Mother - 41 years , she has been widow twice, she has 6 children from both marriages . Brethren S – 1st grade university student M +N pupils at preparatory school. A- pupil at primary school – grade 5 BLESS - Paid a share in the tuition university fees which was EGP 2000. contribution - Giving the family EGP 1000 as a monthly financial aid. - Paid EGP 2000 as a share in establishing a small project of selling cleansing products . Church - Paid a share in the tuition university fees which was EGP 1000. contribution - Giving the family EGP 300 as a monthly financial aid. - Paid EGP 1000 as a share in establishing a small project of selling cleansing products . (12) Marrying of H.A. , from Mo'asset Al-Zaka, Cairo Age 22 years – Unemployed. Father seasonal worker Mother House wife Brethren 6 brothers in different education stages. The eldest brother is a driver and is looking after the rest of his brothers & sisters. Bride need Marriage needs Church L.E. 1000 contribution Family Unable to pay . contribution BLESS Paid in cash the rest of bedroom price which was L.E. 7000 + contribution Upholstery+ Kitchen furniture + clothes.
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Age 24 years – Unemployed. Father Dead – Pension: L.E. 530 . Mother House wife Brethren Three brothers 20 in different education stages . Bride need Marriage needs Family income hardly fulfils their needs. The family is always in need. The bride needs a bedroom + Upholstery + kitchenware + Church contribution Clothes + linen Family contribution Unable to share. BFamilyChurchLESS contributioncontributioncontribution PaidKitchenwareL.E. 1000 EGP 6000 for a bedroom + Kitchen furniture + clothes + a carton of linen .
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Kindly find attached my Beloved BLESS financial report for Aghapy program during the year 2015.
Once again my beloved, I would like to thank you immensely for your generosity, kindness and true Christian Love .
May our Lord give you my dearest:
The incorruptible instead of the corruptible.. The eternal instead of the temporal.. and the heavenly instead of the earthly..
Sincerely Yours,