For its first effort, the network
has decided to advocate to improve the situation of special needs
individuals—one of the most marginalized groups in Egypt.
At our workshop in September, we learned, for example, that all
Egyptian institutions serving special needs individuals, from
the best to the worst, are able to serve only 2 percent of those
who need assistance. The vast majority of special needs children
do not go to school because the schools are not equipped for them.
There are no recreational programs or activities for them. So
many special needs children remain shut in their homes, a shame
to their families. Without education or training, special needs
individuals cannot live productive lives, and they may prevent
other family members from working.
Advocacy is not well known in Egypt. It is a sensitive activity
because of the restrictive political environment. There is a relatively
long learning curve. The churches that are members of the network
are uncertain that they can or should be involved in advocacy
activities. So there are a lot of challenges.
There are times when I am absolutely exhausted by the meetings
and workshops and efforts to clearly understand the Egyptian context
for the network. And there are times when I am tremendously energized
by the potential of the network. If this network does begin to
successfully advocate, I am convinced it will have a great impact
and that it will be an important model for Egypt.
Egypt had its first ever multi-candidate presidential election
on September 7. Nineteen days were allocated for the electoral
campaign! Ten candidates ran, including 77-year-old Hosni Mubarek,
who has been president for 24 years. Campaigning, lobbying, demonstrating,
and newspaper-reporting in an open environment were all new to
Egypt. It’s not surprising that Hosni Mubarek won the election
by a wide margin.
The multi-candidate presidential campaign was definitely a step
toward increased democracy in Egypt. I assumed it would give the
network organizations an increased sense of security. Surprisingly
it has had the opposite impact. The community development practitioners
I work with in the network have a heightened sense of concern
about meeting the regulations governing NGOs, and they have major
concerns about potential government scrutiny. One person explained
to me that there is no guarantee that the positive democratic
trend will continue. There could be a negative reaction. Everything
is unsettled. So NGOs want to be especially careful that they
“toe the line” and abide by all the government requirements.
We really need your prayers. So far God has really held us in
the palm of his hand. We have found an absolutely wonderful consultant
to guide us through the capacity-building process. Despite their
doubts about what advocacy can accomplish in Egypt, the original
organizations are holding steadfast, and we have added new organizations.
We are in the final stages of selecting a network coordinator.
We are moving toward getting legal status. So the essentials are
coming together. Pray that the organizations will really commit
to this methodology and understand the importance of working well
together. Pray that the churches will be protected and strengthened.
Pray that we will be able to have a positive impact on special
needs individuals and their families. Pray that we will discover
other activities and issues where we can make a good contribution.
May God’s grace and peace surround you and keep you.
Nancy and Charles
The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
165 |
