WISH LIST $100: creates a children’s library for one village; $1,000: installs indoor plumbing in the home of a needy family; $20,000: expands the Valuable Girl Project to a new village.

When Nermien Riad saw the abject poverty in which children lived in her native Egypt, a philanthropic mission was born. Coptic Orphans helps all vulnerable children, regardless of religion, in the poorest parts of Egypt (and, more recently, Sudan) by alleviating immediate suffering and working to sustain long-term change. In a country where 17% of the population lives on less than $1 per day, children are especially vulnerable, so the Child Assistance Program identifies orphans who have lost one or both parents and provides them with basic needs – ensuring that they stay in school and complete their education. The Rosetta Program identifies illiterate schoolchildren and offers private lessons to help them achieve literacy. 1,001 Tales brings free books – often the only ones these children have ever owned. Females are particularly vulnerable, so Coptic Orphans pairs young women in secondary school with girls in primary school, focusing on girls’ education and empowerment through the Valuable Girl Project. Coptic Orphans has reached over 10,000 vulnerable children in Egypt. Won’t you reach out, too?

Nermien Riad, Executive Director PO Box 2881 Merrifield, VA 22116 703-641-8910 www.copticorphans.org