AUC Caravan

By Gaser El Safty and Ragia Mostafa 

Caravan reporters 

In an effort to rebuild flood-wrecked areas, civil society members and media organizations raised millions despite strict government regulations on fund raising in Egypt, said members of a panel discussion held at AUC on Feb. 26. 

Rain floods which affected mainly the Sinai Peninsula, Hurghada, and Aswan, on Jan. 18 caused 15 deaths, destroyed hundreds of houses, and stranded many families. The material losses are estimated to be over $25 million. Survivors blamed the damage on the local authorities, describing their emergency responses as ineffective and slow. 

“It shouldn’t be one businessman, or one NGO, or one ministry’s task, it should be a collaboration,” said Dina Basiouny, organizer of the event and director of the Egyptian Civil Society Project at the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Training and Research. 

Several prominent panelists who raised millions for the flood victims discussed the media’s role in engaging people and NGOs at the panel discussion held at the Oriental Hall in the old campus. The panel was moderated by Hafez Mirazi, director of the Adham center. 

The speakers included Hassan Rateb, chairman of the Sinai Foundation and Mehwar TV; Mohammed Sherdy, co-host of Al-Qahera Al Youm talk show and prominent journalist; Niazy Sallam, chairman of the Egyptian Food Bank; and singer Tamer Hosni. 

Hosni raised EGP 6 million through a concert, by Dar El Orman charity organization, which urged businessmen, singers and actors to help raise money. Hosni was the official celebrity sponsor of Dar El Orman’s campaign. 

“I did not want to donate money,” said Hosny. 

“I wanted to give people who don’t have much  chance to donate. Some people even donated toys and blankets.” 

Mohamed Talaat, a soccer player in Al Ahly club financed Hosni’s concert, which cost EGP 3 million. The charity concert was held at El Gezira Youth Center and tickets were sold at the EGP 30, EGP 100 and EGP 300. 

“It was beautiful throwing this concert,” Hosni said. “Even those who only had EGP 30 were able to donate,” he added. 

Speakers also included Khaled Abdel Kereem, director of the fundraising program at the Ministry of Social Solidarity. 

Abdel Kereem said that Egyptian law forbids raising or advertising for funds during disasters without the consent of the Minister of Social Solidarity. The penalty for violating the law can reach up to seven years of imprisonment. 

 The government is trying to regulate fundraising to avoid fraud, Abdel Kereem said.

“The disaster was bigger than the law,” said Abdel Kereem adding that the ministry didn’twant to complicate authorizing subsidiary bank accounts for NGOs.

In addition, victims of the floods alongside directors of several non-governmental organizations, such as the Red Crescent, Kayan, and Al Mara’a Al Gadeeda attended the discussion.

According to Fatma Ghonaim, the director of Al-Zahraa Foundation for Woman and Child Development, the Red Crescent was working during the first stages of the Aswan and Sinai flood crisis while the government showed little effort.

The Food Bank supported by Al Qahera Al Youm program raised funds to build 150 houses for Aswan, Sallam said.

Al Qahera Al Youm talk show hosted by Amr Adeeb and co-hosted by Sherdy managed to raise 50 EGP million.

Hussein Amin, journalism and mass communication professor at AUC who attended the event, said the media play an important role in bridging the gap between NGOs and the people. Amin said that the Egyptian authoritarian media has now changed from targeting the masses to reaching out to several segments of society.

“Most NGOs are voiceless…they need to be empowered by the media,” Amin said.

Sinai resident Riyadh Abo Derb said “NGOs help us a lot.”

According to Sherdy, when it comes to giving donations, people might be skeptical about donating money to government-run organizations.

“People trust an entity that isn’t the government,” Sherdy said.