Egypt: a new breadth of life for the needy

A new breadth of life for the poor in Egypt. A new charity in the coastal city of Alexandria is lending a helping hand.

For those who cannot afford new clothes or are in dire financial needs, this store simply accepts old clothes donated by some, repairs it and offers it to people in need.

And the woman behind the project dubbed ‘Your old is their new’ proudly says she has never been short of donors, nor beneficiaries over the whole past year.

“It is like a green initiative. Thousands of tons of clothes on rooftops, under the bed and above the closets. Tons of neglected clothing. We take these and recycle it in a proper way and then we resell it. The money gained from this is given away to rebuild the society, create workshops, rebuild human resources and offer help to those in need’‘, said Mona Kabbani, the shop owner.

She added, the money gained from this is given away to help people who need financial aid.

Kabbani hopes to expand this initiative across Egypt. Here, prices have soared recently due to economic reforms thus straining millions of Egyptians living under the poverty line.

Kabbani lives in the United States, but after visits to Egypt, she noticed increasing poverty due to surging prices.

In 2016, Kabbani returned to Egypt for a visit where she found unused clothes and utensils at home, which prompted her to start a charity.

Many here have been left in need as the government implements an IMF-backed reform programme.