Cairo, 07-09 November – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized two community cohesion days, with the participation of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and in partnership with Tadamon, to respond to the immediate health and nutrition needs of both migrant and Egyptian communities living in Ard El Lewa district, Cairo.

Approximately 1,200 Egyptian, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Iraqi, Libyan, Somali, South-Sudanese, Sudanese, and Yemeni women and children living in Ard El Lewa attended the events hosted by the Tadamon Community Centre. The two days provided an opportunity for community members to participate in common activities, encouraging interaction and exchanges among the multicultural communities in Ard El Lewa.

The activities were designed to focus on the needs of women and children, identified as the most vulnerable groups living in Ard El Lewa. Women and children were further targeted through this intervention to capitalize on their capacity to cascade added experience and enhanced knowledge to the other members of their communities.

Participants thus engaged in awareness raising sessions on nutrition, health, and hygiene delivered by IOM doctors. The 550 migrant and Egyptian children who participated – the majority of whom are students of Tadamon’s community school – were provided with school materials including backpacks, books and stationery. They were also all provided with visual exams and, based on need, eye glasses.

FAO complemented the awareness raising sessions by discussing healthy food preparation, and providing attendees with a sample of a balanced meal. The children had the chance to taste some home-made ice cream made with real fruit, and female participants were given a bag of culinary ingredients, presented by the FAO nutritionist, capable of feeding a family of five for up to two weeks.

Migrant – including Yemeni, Somali, and Eritrean – and Egyptian communities catered food for the participants throughout the two days. This not only gave the opportunity to women and children to discover new and different cuisines, but also contributed to promote income-generating activities for women living in Ard El Lewa.

“We are so happy and grateful to have been able to attend an event that brings us all together as one community, where we can share our concerns and daily challenges while we learn how to take care of our children and ourselves. We are so thankful for IOM’s support, and we look forward to the vision screenings for our children, and glasses for the ones in need,” said one of the participants.

The various services contributed to IOM’s efforts to address both the short-term and long-term needs of migrants and the Egyptian communities hosting them, whereby the sustainability of the implemented activities reaches beyond the immediate intervention that is offered during community days.

The community days were held within the framework of the EU-funded “Regional Development and Protection Programme for North Africa” (RDPP NA), and support the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 2.1: “End hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round”, 3.8: “Access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”, and 10.7 “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people.”

For further information, please contact Zeinab Sabet at IOM Egypt. Tel: +202-27365140; Email: iomegypt@iom.int