That’s right! We are extremely proud to announce that Masr Bokra scooped second place in the NGOs Award of Excellence 2016, which were presented at the Marriott Hotel in Zamalek, Cairo. You can see our Project Director Salwa Kedees picking up the award in the photos below.

Presented by the Professional Development Foundation of Egypt (PDF), these awards aim to recognise outstanding development organisations working with people and communities in real need. The award ceremony was attended by H.E. the Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Ghada Waly and Mr. Moataz El Alfy, Founding Chairman of PDF.

As you can see, we had an amazing time at the ceremony and a wonderful evening of celebrations with our team!

It’s been a little while since we updated, but as you can see, we’ve been busy! Here are some lovely photos of our boys enjoying a trip to the Cairo Citadel, followed by a picnic in the nearby gardens. Access to learning is limited for working children, so it’s immensely valuable for them to have a chance to connect with their local history and culture.

Everybody needs a holiday sometime, and these young workers are no exception. Masr Bokra managed to take a group of youngsters away from the factories to the seaside resort of Port Said for food, games and a lot of splashing about! For children whose families could never dream of taking them on holiday, these breaks are a unique opportunity to relax and see another side of life.

That’s how we roll. Here are some shots of our year so far, including games, a new computer room, puppet shows and Montessori-style learning.

Masr Bokra is all about making learning fun for these kids who work so hard. The kinaesthetic Montessori approach is always a hit..

..and outdoor games teach teamwork!

IT instructor Tamer helps the boys to sharpen their computer skills. Lacking computers or even electricity in their accommodation, this is a valuable opportunity for these child workers.

The puppets came out to play..

..and the crowd went wild!

And this is why it’s all so important. These kilns are the boys’ whole world, day in, day out, six days a week. We hope our work will help them to experience something different.

Inspirational Urban Development Minister Dr Laila Iskander visited our kids to share a Ramadan Iftar (the first meal after sunset). The Minister presented several students with certificates commending their outstanding efforts in learning through the services provided by Masr Bokra. These achievements are all the more incredible given that these students have been studying to complete their education whilst working long hours in brick kilns in the searing heat of the Egyptian desert. We hope that this meal and this visit from the Minister can, in some small way, show them that their efforts are recognised at the highest level. A massive well done to all!

One of the most important things Masr Bokra does is broaden the kids’ horizons. Trips like this one, to the Cairo International Film Festival and the famous Cairo Opera House, show them another side of life and give them a chance to participate in cultural activities. The kids relaxed in the sun and even got to pose and interact with some of the performers!

Students from the Sacred Heart School, Cairo, came to see the work of Masr Bokra and took part in activities with the child workers on the brick factory site in March this year. The students learned about the working conditions faced by our boys and visited their healthcare facilities before sharing food and enjoying arts and crafts with them. These visits are valuable as they raise awareness locally as well as being great fun for all involved!

The students learn from Sarwat, a shining success story! Sarwat was educated by Masr Bokra and now works as a healthcare assistant in the brickmaking area.

Our lads with their food packages.

Students from the Sacred Heart School, with Project Director Salwa and teacher Tamer.

Teacher Mohammed explains the brickmaking work to Sacred Heart students.

Our friends from cooler climates may not believe this, but it does actually get cold in Egypt. The winter can be a harsh time, particularly as many homes and workplaces don’t have heating systems. The brick factory workers have an especially hard time of it as their accommodation is so basic – usually little more than a shack, shared with a number of other boys and men, without heating, running water or even bedding. So as you can see, the boys are pretty happy to receive their blankets! We’d like to thank our kind donors who have made this possible. And we wish our lads a good night’s sleep!

Masr Bokra project worker Mohammed with two of Masr Bokra’s students.

The boys in their winter gear!

As mentioned in our last post, the people we work with are our greatest asset. In autumn 2014, we lost all of our classroom furniture and materials due to the end of our relationship with a key funding organisation who were winding down their operations in Cairo. But that hasn’t stopped our students. Here are some great shots of the brick factory workers who have gained qualifications and essential health and safety training through Masr Bokra. These boys and men have kindly offered their time and skills to refurbish the classrooms so that other workers can continue to access our services. We’re immensely touched by their willingness to help out, and enormously grateful to be able to carry on providing drop-in lessons in the area. We can’t wait to welcome more students to school!

The Arab Abou Saed area is well-known locally for brickmaking and manufacturing, all of it hard physical work. But these skills certainly in handy when refurnishing a classroom, and our dedicated lads have demonstrated incredible support for their fellow workers through rebuilding the items we’ve lost with their own hands. Here are some shots of our students, past and present, working hard to ensure that our classrooms are resourced as they should be.

What we’re aiming for: the finished product!