Sharjah charity gives 34 children life-saving heart surgery in Egypt

Sharjah: For children in Egypt facing serious heart conditions and mothers caring for orphaned children, a recent humanitarian mission by Sharjah Charity International (SCI) brought help ranging from specialised medical treatment to tools for earning a livelihood.

The charity carried out 34 cardiac catheterisation and open-heart procedures on children, distributed 1,000 food baskets, and provided 200 pieces of income-generating equipment - 100 sewing machines and 100 ovens - to mothers of orphans.

It also distributed school bags to 10,190 sponsored children and announced plans to provide 40 mothers of orphans with Umrah trips under its “Ideal Mothers’ Umrah” initiative.

The programmes were carried out during a field visit to Egypt to assess beneficiaries’ needs, follow up on existing projects and launch new initiatives.

One of the key activities was SCI’s “Little Hearts” campaign, which provided cardiac treatment for children at Nile of Hope Hospital in Alexandria Governorate.

A medical team led by Dr Ahmed Al Kamali, Consultant in the Paediatrics and Obstetrics Department at Al Qassimi hospital in the UAE, performed 34 cardiac catheterisation and open-heart operations.

Dr Saeed Musabbeh Al Kaabi, a member of the SCI Board of Directors, said providing medical care to people in need is among the charity’s leading priorities because of its direct impact on patients and their families.

The procedures formed one of the main components of the field mission, alongside programmes aimed at improving household income and supporting children’s education.

For mothers of orphans, SCI’s support included equipment intended to help them generate a sustainable income.

The charity distributed 100 sewing machines to mothers working in embroidery and 100 ovens for producing and selling baked goods.

The projects are intended to provide mothers with practical tools to establish sources of income, help meet their families’ needs and strengthen their ability to become financially self-reliant.

The initiative represents an economic empowerment component of the charity’s wider assistance programme, complementing direct food and educational support.

SCI also distributed 1,000 food baskets to beneficiary families, helping them meet essential household needs.

At the same time, 10,190 sponsored children registered in the charity’s sponsorship records in Egypt received school bags as the new academic year began.

The school support is intended to help families meet the cost of educational supplies and ensure sponsored children have essential items for the start of the school year.

Al Kaabi said the range of initiatives reflects SCI’s approach to addressing beneficiaries’ needs in an integrated way, covering healthcare, economic empowerment, food assistance and education.

As part of its support for orphan families, SCI is also preparing to implement its “Ideal Mothers’ Umrah” initiative, benefiting 40 mothers of orphans.

Al Kaabi said the initiative recognises the efforts made by mothers in caring for their children and reflects the charity’s commitment to providing both material and moral support to orphan families.

Beneficiaries and their mothers expressed their happiness with the initiatives during the visit and thanked the charity and its donors for their support.

The field mission was not limited to distributing new assistance.

The delegation inspected several projects previously implemented by SCI in Egypt to ensure they were continuing to perform their intended roles and that beneficiaries were still benefiting from them.

The delegation also checked whether the organisations responsible for the projects were carrying out regular maintenance, with the aim of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the initiatives.

Al Kaabi said the field visits form part of SCI’s plan to monitor projects on the ground, identify beneficiaries’ needs, launch new initiatives and assess the impact of programmes implemented during previous periods.

During the tour, the delegation also met several sponsored beneficiaries, learned about their circumstances and followed up on the impact of the assistance and initiatives provided to them.

The SCI delegation was headed by Dr Saeed Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Member of the Board of Directors, and included Ali Mohammed Al Rashidi, Head of the External Projects and Aid Sector at the charity.