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Facts on Egypt
-Population: 69 million
-Average annual income: $1,530
-Egyptians who cannot meet their food needs: 10.7 million
-67% of the poor live in Upper Egypt
-Disabled population: 2 million

Increasing unemployment and slow economic growth has contributed to widespread poverty in Egypt. Today, some 10.7 million Egyptians cannot meet their basic food and non-food needs.

Wealth & Poverty
Poverty in Egypt is more widespread in rural areas. Currently, 67% of Egypt's poor live in Upper Egypt, and this percentage is increasing. However, urban poverty is also on the rise as people migrate to cities in the hope of finding employment. Egyptian women and children are most vulnerable to poverty particularly in relation to malnutrition, illness, and lack of schooling. About 10 percent of the population can be considered extremely poor, including widows, the chronically sick, and the disabled, who are totally dependent on financial support.

Disability
There are over 1.5 million mentally disabled people in Egypt, and although the government has placed a high priority on disability, current facilities only cover about 10% of the total number of disabled Egyptians.

Islamic Relief in Egypt
Islamic Relief has worked in Egypt since 2000 and has developed an Early Intervention Center in Cairo and another in Qana, Upper Egypt. The centers provide developmental training for children with motor, mental, communication, and multiple disabilities. Activities include behavior modification, speech and physiotherapy sessions, as well as medical, psychological, and developmental assessments.

Islamic Relief has also undertaken Ramadan and Udhiyah/Qurbani food distribution projects in the country, distributing food to over 12,000 people, including widows and orphans. Qurbani distributions benefited another 2,000 needy people.

“Hope for Helwan” - Read about Islamic Relief’s Early Intervention Resource Center in Egypt which helps disabled children