Misr El Kheir

Misr El Kheir Foundation (MEK) - literally “Egypt the Bountiful”- is an Egyptian non-profit, non-governmental organization created in 2007 with the mandate of developing Egyptian individuals and communities by working in five core fields:

- Health - Social Solidarity (which also includes Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Relief) - Life Enhancing Aspects (Arts, Culture, Sports.. etc) - Education - Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

MEK’s headquarters are located in Cairo, but it also has 7 other field offices in Fayoum, Beni Sueif, Minya, Assuit, Sohag, Qena, and Aswan. In 2012 MEK expanded its operations beyond Egypt and launched its first office in London (UK), with two more international offices soon to be launched in the US and Canada. Established in order to engage with the Egyptian diaspora, MEK’s international offices are mainly interested in transferring the knowledge (i.e. skills & expertise) of Egyptian professionals in the UK to Egyptian institutions by means of their participation in MEK projects, mobilizing funds for MEK projects, and acting as a hub for new initiatives and partnerships.

MEK follows a corporate-like structure composed of a Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, divisions for each of the aforementioned programs, as well as operational divisions (Human Resources, Finance, Legal Affairs, Marketing, Audit and Governance). MEK was established under the patronage of the Grand Mufti of Egypt Dr. Ali Gomaa- Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and while MEK is not a ‘religious’ organization, its philosophy is rooted in the belief that basic religious principles of philanthropy found both in Islam and Christianity (the two principle faiths in Egypt) such as Zakat and Sadaqah can and must be utilized as catalysts for sustainable development. While a significant portion of MEK funds are comprised of Zakat and Sadaqah, where the former are employed for charitable causes and the latter are invested in long-term (sustainable development) projects and initiatives, it is important to note that they are not the sole sources. MEK encourages and accepts contributions from all sectors of Egyptian society regardless of faith, gender, nationality, or political creed.

Since its launch in Egypt, MEK has financed millions of Egyptian Pounds’ worth of projects ranging from building schools, funding sight-restoration operations for the blind as well as research into a cure for Diabetes and Hepatitis C, income generation programs, debt relief, poverty alleviation, humanitarian aid and crisis relief in Somalia and Libya, technical education scholarships, and much more. MEK’s programs and budget are continuously expanding, and the Foundation aims to expand its action areas in order to build a stronger Egyptian individual and society. MEK is keen to enter into partnerships with other entities in order to deliver its integrated sustainable human development programs to its beneficiaries.