Since 1993, we have been tirelessly working to reach the poorest of Christian young people and widows in Egypt.
It was during Christmas of 1993 when the founding trustees while on a visit to Egypt witnessed firsthand the severe hardships faced by impoverished students. Many of these teenagers endured days without a proper meal or clean clothes. The thought that such bright, hardworking individuals might have to abandon their education for unskilled work was unacceptable to us.
In Egypt, university students receive no government or organizational sponsorship. They are entirely dependent on their families, who often struggle to provide for several children on limited incomes. This financial strain leaves students deprived of basic necessities, having to give up on their education and future opportunities.
On returning to England, to begin their mission, they collected donations from friends and relatives, supplementing these with their own contributions. Two years later two other close friends joined as trustees. It was in 1996 that they officially registered the trust with the Charity Commission and named it after their patron saint, St Kyrillos VI, the much loved patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
We started our mission to support widows within the Coptic community in Egypt in 2017. With the impact we've had since, we have plans to expand to those in Sudan.
While we support widows whose husbands have passed away, in the past two years, we have increasingly focused on aiding those whose husbands are still alive but are no longer present or providing for their families. This includes those whose husbands are serving long-term prison sentences, have abandoned their families without contact, or have abandoned them with their conversion to another religion.
Many of the widows we support are young mothers with children. And 1 in 4 young mothers are illiterate or have minimal education, leaving them with limited to no employment opportunities. Without a breadwinner, they face severe disadvantages and are often left feeling helpless. With the older widows we support, many even take on the responsibility of caring for other family members further straining their already limited resources.
Empowering these women through support and with resources will transform not only their lives but also the futures of their children and communities.
Who we are
Prof. Ashraf Khir
Co-founder
Since our founding in 1996, he's held various official posts within the board of trustees throughout the years and is currently responsible for the operations in Egypt and Sudan.
Prof. Michael Henein
Co-founder
Emad Elias
Treasurer
After supporting our cause for many years as an external advisor, he's joined the board of the Trustees in July 2015. He now serves as the Treasurer for Saint Kyrel Trust.
Rasha Farag
Former trustee
Former Trustee of St Kyrel Trust for almost 20 years and a present supporter of the charity.
Renée Barsoum
Trustee
She volunteered for many years before joining the team as a trustee. The resilience, courage, and dedication of our students and widows are a constant source of inspiration for her.
