AFRICA/EGYPT - Muslims and Christians work together to help children from Cairo's refuse collectors village

Cairo (Fides Service) - ‘Refuse collectors village’ children in Cairo look forward to a healthier, cleaner and brighter future thanks to an Italian Comboni missionary. “When I began gathering the children my idea was to do something very simple for them perhaps with the help of the Sisters of Mother Teresa who have a community at Muqattam but the project grew to be much more ambitious” said Fr. Luciano Verdoscia in Cairo who has worked for years with children in the Mansheya district of the capital also known as the district of the ‘refuse collectors’ or the Zabbaleen. The district is at the foot of the Muqattam Hills surmounted by the famous Al-Qalaa (Citadel) built by Salah-Al-Din Al-Ayyubi (Saladin) in AD 1183, one of the city’s most important Islamic monuments. The Citadel is flanked on one side by Islamic Cairo with its famous mosques and on the other by the city’s centuries old cemetery City of the Dead. Two parallel intersecting roads separate Islamic Cairo, the Citadel and the City of the Dead from the village of the refuse collectors,
Three years ago Fr. Luciano launched a programme to involve people of different religions, cultures and ethnic origin in helping some of these unfortunate children to live a cleaner, healthier and brighter life, at a Centre where they can study and receive assistance and have better opportunities for work and also to promote tolerance and peace.
“We aim to be a modest example of collaboration among people of different religion, culture working together with love to alleviate the suffering of the poor, children in particular” the priest said. “The programme offers assistance to children of all religions. It has no religious aim, simply to help people in need. Our volunteers are local Christians and Muslims but some come from other countries too.” Fr Luciano said. “We hope of course to help many more children opening more centres, but this will take time”.
The priest has arranged for a doctor and a nurse to visit the centre three of four days a week. The children are examined by the doctor twice a year and those with chronic or acute pathologies receive proper treatment. Children suffering from malnutrition are given food supplies to take home. A resident social worker offers the children counselling and assistance.
The Centre was opened in September 2004. It has 250 little inmates and there are another 400 on the waiting list.
“Many Muslims have expressed appreciation for the initiative, offering help to ensure success” the priest concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/10/2005 righe 38 parole 463)