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 where the reports come from of abductions of mostly young girls, who are then found to have been married off to a Muslim. The family and also the church does not put up with this and asks the police to investigate. Then sometimes the news is that the girl consents to this marriage. And, says the bishop, with a worried look, that is not always untrue. There are certainly situations of violence too, but girls are sometimes so desperate because of the poverty and discrimination they experience that they take this step. Remember that poverty eats away at your self-esteem, he says. This self-esteem is mostly low in a male-dominated society. And girls marry early (around 18) and are married off as early as 14/15.
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. We can hardly imagine that here in the Netherlands. But actually there is no difference. Just like for us, it is important for girls in Egypt to learn to stand up for themselves as well as to get to know their God in believing in him.
