The Ministry of Social Solidarity announced on Monday the purchase of 1,023 apartments, costing LE400 million, to provide housing for orphans as they transition out of care facilities upon turning 21. An additional 1,307 apartments are currently in the process of being acquired.
Out of the purchased apartments, 707 have been delivered fully furnished. These homes come with a comprehensive social safety package that includes in-kind subsidies, state-funded health insurance, vocational training, job search assistance, and credit to help the orphans start their own businesses.
In 2021, the ministry launched an ambitious strategy focused on alternative care. This strategy emphasizes the role of extended families as caregivers when biological parents are either deceased or have lost custody rights. The ministry takes on the majority of the financial burden in these cases.
When extended family care is not possible, the ministry prioritizes placing children in small, secure family settings, with institutional care being the last resort. Additionally, the ministry is strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and protect children from abuse.
Last year, Minister Neveine al-Qabaj revealed that Egypt has 1,430,000 orphans. Of these, 70 percent have lost their father, 27 percent have lost their mother, and three percent have lost both parents. Many of these orphans receive partial support from the government and various charities.
