Cairo, Egypt, Mar 4, 2010 / 00:05 am
The Catholic Charity Aid to the Church in need (ACN) reported on Wednesday that they are helping fund a new center for the mentally disabled in Egypt. The new facility will allow for those who minister to the disabled population to leave their current center in the desert.
Magdi Asham Henein, a member of the Al-Fulk community in Minia, Egypt, thanked ACN profusely on Wednesday, saying “We cannot integrate people into society if we are living in the desert – and with the help of ACN we have bought the land for the new community building.”
Aid to the Church in Need has already provided over $20,400 and pledged further assistance in the construction of the new facility. Underscoring the importance of his community's work, Henein explained that “10 years ago people were rejected in society, nobody understood the nature of mental handicap – it was seen as a punishment from God.”
In addition to often being thrown out and rejected by their families, “Mentally handicapped people were suffering a lot in society – many were living in the streets, and passers-by would make fun of them,” Henein said. “They were completely marginalized.”