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Egypt Travel Plan supports...Egypt Travel Plan supports the Ard el Amal Foundation near Luxor. Ard el Amal is a Dutch foundation 10km south of Luxor that provides daycare for mentally disabled children and adults in Egypt. The foundation is also helping to establish small businesses in which locals work together with the mentally disabled.Ard el Amal was founded by a Dutch woman, Ans, and an Egyptian man, Abdel, who met in Egypt and each have a background in caring for the mentally disabled. With the help of the Oxfam Novib Foundation and other non-profit organisations they started setting up this daycare project in Egypt three years ago. Most of the groundwork has been done and the complex is ready to go. They have reached the final phase prior to opening and especially during this final phase, additional financial support is very much needed. |
Ard el AmalThe Ard el Amal Foundation owns a large 5 acre piece of land of south of Luxor on which a daycare centre for the mentally disabled is being built. All activities planned for the centre will be based on learning, working and new experiences. The youngest children will be taught school skills appropriate for their age and level. Older children and adults will be taught working skills at one of several workplaces on the complex where they also will be able to practice their new trade.There will also be plenty to do beyond the walls of the daycare centre for those who are not able to learn or work. Children and adults can help out in the vegetable garden or simply spend time with the cows, donkeys and goats at the daycare centre's farm. Ceramics made by the mentally disabled at the centre will be sold in a shop. Eventually the profit from the sale of these products will be used to care for the mentally disabled. This is how the foundation wants to guarantee the continuity of Ard el Amal. |
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The daycare centre will also be used in the evening hours, for instance for giving sewing lessons to local women. This will empower local women and make them more independent. Small companies will be set up on the property where the mentally disabled will work together with locals. This will also create jobs for the community. By creating a setting where locals work closely with the mentally disabled, the centre hopes to promote acceptance of people with a disability. At this moment a mental disability still causes people to be shunned by society in Egypt. The staff at Ard el Amal will maintain close relationships with the families of the disabled and they will help the families care for a mentally disabled family member. This way goodwill will spread throughout a region where at this moment there is little care for the mentally disabled. |
Support those in need with Egypt Travel PlanYou can help support this project by donating £5 when you book your trip. Simply check the box on the booking form and this will let us know that you wish to make a donation to this project. We'll add this amount to your invoice and your donation will be forwarded to the charity project in Egypt. Naturally additional donations are more than welcome. If you wish to make an extra donation, just let us know by filling in the amount in the comments area on the booking form.If you would like to visit the daycare centre Ard el Amal while in Luxor, just give the foundation a call while you're in Egypt. They enjoy giving guests a tour of the facilities. Their contact information is available on their website. Of course, you can also decide to keep your holiday in Egypt separate from your charitable donations. Please do not feel any obligation to participate. |
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