AUC students help needy in Ramadan
Community service clubs at The American University in Cairo have stepped up their efforts to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan. Known for their dedication and active community service work, AUC students have used their summer vacation to collect donations, distribute thousands of food packages to poor families around Cairo and other governorates, and organize on and off campus iftars.
Volunteers in Action (VIA), which is the university’s largest community service club, has distributed 5,500 food packages to 44 orphanages and a school in Cairo, Alexandria, Tanta, Helwan, Menya and other governorates in Egypt. It has also organized the delivery of iftar-to-go packages, which are delivered daily to people in need in the Ain Shams district. In addition, on September 4th, it will organize an iftar in the Meet Okba district and on September 11th, it will organize one on the university’s New Cairo Campus for orphans.
In the meantime, the Help Club distributed 1,500 iftar meals to the underprivileged residents in the Masr El Kadeema district and also organized a project, Rahman Delivery, which organizes the preparation and distribution of 10,000 meals throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
For the sixth year in a row, Alashanak ya Balady (AYB) is distributing approximately 600 food packages in the Ain El Seera district. “Since we work more towards development than charity, we distribute the food packages to the people we work with in Ain El Seera as a reward and motivation for their participation in our development programs,” said AYB President Khaled Mohamed. AYB is also preparing for the keswa project, which involves collecting and distributing clothes to the needy. “We receive clothes donations and sell them to the disadvantaged for very cheap prices. The purpose is to make them have a sense of ownership towards their Eid clothes so that it is not just donated to them,” explains Mohamed.
AUC students have a long tradition of being actively engaged in community service. During the holy month of Ramadan, they have focused their efforts in assisting the needy in the underprivileged parts of Cairo. They also devout their efforts to working with children, elderly, cancer patients, orphans and the blind.
“Students at AUC have always proved their dedication and commitment towards their community,” said Ramza Sedky, associate director of AUC’s community service program. “Every year, they make sure they sustain their standards in helping the needy who wait for them from year to year.” There are 14 student-run community service organizations at AUC connecting students with NGOs and other service-based agencies to provide a far-reaching and long-term range of services and activities that target the needy.
The American University in Cairo (AUC) was founded 90 years ago and is major contributor to the social, political and cultural life of the Arab Region. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions, and study abroad programs. An independent, nonprofit, apolitical, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.
