Objective

At the inception of FACE, the rage of a mother with three young children to give attention and affection to wounded children. The goal of FACE is both to safeguard abandoned babies, orphans or street children in Cairo, help mothers in distress and to develop a local and durable project with Egyptian personnel.

Mission

FACE has a global approach: working closely with local associations to release practical, respectful, innovating and durable solutions which equip these children for a better future.

Activities in Belgium

FACE collects funds and material, organizes missions in Egypt (every 6 weeks) entirely carried out by the founder and volunteers which accompany. FACE also brings international expertise to ensure a transfer of competence towards the local teams.

Activities in Egypt

FACE supports 7 projects which seeks to respond to both children and society needs: satisfy their basic needs (food, health, security), provide a warm and caring environment, a medical and psychological support, a listening body for children to voice their needs and goals, access to education and skills, encourage creativity through many art and theatrical based projects. Those projects are run by local staffs (100% Egyptian employees).
FACE is the only foreign NGO permitted to look after abandoned children aged 0 to 2 years.

Orphanages and centre for street children: Since its inception, FACE has intervened on renovation of 4 orphanages for 290 children (0-6 years), 1 emergency child & mother support centre in Ghoussous (large slum of 2.000.000 people), 1 centre for street children (900 children/month aged 5-20 years).
In 2011, fitting out of a new orphanage in Benha for children aged of 6 years and more (60 beds). The buildings have been placed at the disposal of FACE by the Egyptian ministry.

Training programs: As a result of its experiment on the field of orphanages, the organisation is able to confirm that there is a serious problem regarding the level of care given to children due to under qualified, underpaid and consequently, de-motivated carers. As consequence, FACE has developed its own training program for the Egyptian employees that work on FACE's projects: paediatric nurses, social assistants, trainers, directors, supervisors, and many employees of the Ministry of Health.

Advanced research on Kafala (foster families): Egyptian law strictly forbids adoption in the Western understanding of the word i.e. giving the adopted child the name of its adoptive parents. A system called « Kafala » or fostering is authorized in Egypt. However, this system is complex and flawed, not providing a very viable alternative to institutionalisation. FACE has recently embarked on a detailed investigation of the system of «Kafala» in Egypt with the approval of the Ministry of Social Solidarity to identify incompatibilities between the law and working practice, in order to propose practical solutions.

• 2010
• 2009