CAIRO: Continuing a long-standing tradition, students at the American University in Cairo (AUC) are actively involved in their annual charity efforts to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan. Student groups at AUC focus their efforts in the underprivileged sections of Cairo, where they are distributing thousands of food packages after spending their summer vacation collecting donations. Volunteers in Action (VIA), which is one of the university's oldest and largest community service clubs, has divided its effort to serve the orphans. It has prepared 6,300 food packs for the orphans and the poor families, which exceeds last year's number of packs. They have been working on the project since June. VIA also organized the delivery of iftar-to-go packages, which are delivered daily to people in need in Meet Okba district. In addition, it will organize a fun day for 400 children from different orphanages in the university's old campus. “We as VIA members care to make an impact on the orphans' lives and therefore our slogan is “We paint a smile on an orphan's face”,” said Nehal Refaat, VIA president. Meanwhile, the Help Club has packed 1,270 iftar meals for residents in the Masr El Kadeema district, and has also organized a project, Rahman Delivery, which organizes the preparation and distribution of 8,000 meals throughout the holy month of Ramadan. “In addition to feeding the poor families in the month of generosity, the project involves AUC's student body in community service by giving them the chance to join our members during meals' distribution, which could be an eye-opening experience for them,” said Tarek Adel, Help Club president. For the seventh year in a row, Alashanak ya Balady (AYB), the main community service project of the Student Union, is distributing 650 food packages in the Ain Al Seera district. AYB is also preparing for the keswa project, which involves collecting and distributing clothes to the needy for very low prices to allow them to have a sense of ownership of their Eid clothes. “Students at AUC have always proved their dedication and commitment toward their community,” said Ramza Sedky, associate director of AUC's community service programs. “Every year, they make sure they sustain their standards in helping the needy who wait for them year-to-year.” There are 14 student-run community service organizations at AUC connecting students with NGOs and other service-based agencies to provide a far-reaching and long-term range of services and activities that target the needy. BM
