Project description
In the Egyptian city of Qussia, diaconate has a relationship with the Coptic Orthodox Church. Here we support a training programme: daughters of the king. This is a programme for teenage girls aged 14-19. They receive education on a number of important topics, pastoral care and a place to form their self-esteem. How. Twice a year, a training week is organised for 200 trainees from the city of Qussia and 200 from the surrounding villages. The training takes place at Anafora monastery. This and other monasteries have been called the lungs of the Coptic Church. Here Islam is absent. Here there is plenty of room for Christian themes and meetings. Here there is no pressure from Muslim male society. And above all: here they are well cared for, both physically and spiritually. In the process, pastoral care is also done among themselves. Girls who have been along before and are formed in their self-esteem are paired one-to-one with younger, less formed girls.
Why this project?
This is the area from which reports are emerging about the abductions of mostly young girls, who are then found to have been forced into marriage to a Muslim man. Neither the family nor the church is willing to accept this and is asking the police to investigate. It is then sometimes reported that the girl consents to this marriage. And, says the bishop, with a concerned look, that is not always untrue. There are certainly cases of violence, but girls are sometimes so desperate because of the poverty and discrimination they face that they take this step. Don’t forget that poverty erodes your self-esteem, he says. This self-esteem is often low in a male-dominated society. And girls marry early (around the age of 18) and are already being married off at around 14 or 15.
Impact
The programme strengthens the faith and self-esteem of a large group of girls in Qussia. One participant says: 'I learned to see myself as God sees me: full of strength and dignity. That gives self-confidence, and makes me take the initiative to help others.
What can we learn?
In a Muslim culture, women have very low self-esteem and resilience. Here in the Netherlands, we can hardly imagine that. But actually, there is no difference. Just as it is for us, it is important for the girls in Egypt to learn to stand up for themselves and to get to know their God and believe in Him.
