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Manal Moussa (center)
presents the 2008 Coptic Orphans Leading by Example Award to
Naguib Sawiris (right) |
“It is like
a dream to be here today. Never did I imagine that I would one day
be in New York, speaking to an audience like this!” said Manal Farhoud
Moussa, smiling from the podium on the stage at the Coptic Orphans
20 th Anniversary Gala on October 18 th , 2008
Manal is
from the small village of Hagr Meshta in Sohag, Upper Egypt. She had
eight brothers and sisters, but four of them died when they were young.
Despite their circumstances, Manal’s life was typical of that of many
girls in Sohag, until her father’s tragic death in 2001, when Manal
was 14. Then things became increasingly difficult as the whole family
moved in with relatives into a small, mud-brick home. Her family struggled
to survive on the meager pension provided by the government and whatever
her oldest brother, who had a wife and children of his own, could
contribute.
With the
support of Dr. Mahawid, a representative in the Not Alone program, Manal joined the Not Alone program shortly after her father’s
death and gradually grew hopeful about her future. “The visits of
Dr. Mahawid made me feel special. I understood that I had value, and
shared my opinions with people for the first time.” She became the
first girl in her family to stay in school. Her sisters, like many
others in her village, dropped out of school, got married at an early
age, and already have several children. “I would have ended up like
them,” she reflected.
In 2005,
she signed up to be a mentor with the Valuable Girl Project. “I knew
I wanted to help someone the way my Rep had helped me.” Manal’s “little
sister” in the Valuable Girl Project achieved age-appropriate literacy,
thanks to her dedicated mentor. Manal continues to be an inspiration
for many in her village, as she nears completion of her bachelor’s
degree at Assuit University.
Manal’s appearance
at the gala to share her story and present Naguib Sawiris with the
Coptic Orphans Leading by Example Award was a surprise to the audience,
and it was a further surprise when Naguib Sawiris noted that he and
Manal grew up in the same small village near Sohag. But a third surprise
came when Dina Powell, Director of Corporate Engagement for Goldman
Sachs, announced that Manal was chosen by the Goldman Sachs 10,000
Women Partnership to receive a scholarship to a business certificate
program at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in honor of Naguib
Sawiris. The 10,000 Women program supports women from underserved
areas to pursue higher education in business so that they can contribute
to the development of their countries.
With the scholarship
to AUC, Manal hopes to gain the skills to help others exercise their
rights and reach their potential. “I want to help women and girls
in my village to understand that they are important, and that they
can achieve good things in life. Thank you, Coptic Orphans, and Goldman
Sachs, for believing in me and for helping me reach my dreams.”
Sponsor
a child and help him or her become a change-maker like Manal
See
Picasa Photos from the Gala
