The Arab Orphans' Day, not for charity but it is food for thought CAIRO: Hundreds of orphans gathered Friday at different sports clubs across the capital to mark Arab Orphans' Day. The first Friday of the month of April has been earmarked "Arab Orphans' Day . It was observed in Egypt before the Arab League designated it as a special day, when the plight of orphans region-wide as well as efforts to help them is highlighted. In cooperation with several charitable organizations, each sports club hosted a number of orphans who were given the opportunity to meet with benign and compassionate hearts that expressed sympathy for their situation. The orphans were shown an amazing degree of kindness as they were served meals and left to roam freely in each club's parks and play areas. Some 400 orphans belonging to three branches of Masr Al Mahrusa Baladi as well as to the Islamic Society, Al Qaed School and other charitable organizations came to Maadi Club, where the day was meticulously organized with the help of the organizations' officials and club management that assigned its scout team to look after the event. At one of the club's parks, orphans of different ages danced and sang their day away, playing games of all kinds and airing their concerns and complaints. "The young boys and girls who appear during this event are the ones who lost their fathers, remarked Ehab Qandeel of Masr Al Mahrusa Baladi. "Our organization has got 14 branches that are scattered over different parts of the capital. Only a small number of the orphans we see here are from orphanages. The rest are the fatherless ones who live with their families. Added Ehab: "The reason why we focus on the fatherless more than the motherless is that the former are the more destitute due to the loss of their bread winner: the father. The problem with those is that some of them live below the poverty line due to the absence of the father, explained Qandeel. "When we first visit them at their homes we find out that the family has no income and that the mother doesn't have any skill that could qualify her for a job. "We start by encouraging the mother to develop any kind of skill. As for the kids we offer them classes that would help them pass their exams. If the child is a dropout, we see what can be done for his future. "But we remain in dire need for funds, noted Qandeel. Qandeel related that the motherless orphans receive their share of kindness and care during Mother's Day when many mothers take the initiative of inviting those orphans to celebrate that day along with their own children. Ismael Abdel Samee, who is in charge of the orphans' activities, said: "The Arab Orphans' Day is meant to be entirely recreational. In other words, we are not allowed to collect donations or look into the financial aspect of the orphans' care. "Our aim today is only to focus on their dilemma in the hope that the event will translate into some kind of support in the future, be it financial or otherwise. Speaking about the organizations' mechanisms, Abdel Samee pointed out that each organization approaches the schools located within its neighborhood and are informed about the orphaned students and their situations through social workers. "Next comes the role of field work where the charity officials visit the students' places in an attempt to pinpoint their difficulties. The Arab Orphans' Day is just a step, a lot more has to be done, he said. As to why this particular time has been chosen to highlight the plight of orphans, no one could give a specific answer. Ismael said: "There is no reason why it should fall in April, but April is a part of spring that is usually associated with hope and fresh aspirations. March could have been perfect but this is when we celebrate Mother's Day, so obviously it was devoted entirely to mothers.
