They told me that they would defend my cause and support me. That reduced my stress and my fear of talking about my torture, what had happen to me, and what I faced in my home country. I talked for more than 15 hours in two days. The Legal Aid listener was a social worker who helped me to remember every hard moment which I had in detail, in order to write my testimony. -A Sudanese Refugee in Cairo
 
 

4 Ahmed Basha Street
6th Floor, Garden City, Cairo
Arab Republic of Egypt

Tel: +20 2792 6425

Fax: +20 22792 6424

E-mail:
info@amera-uk.org

 

 
I have…
A valid UNHCR Blue Card with a valid residency permits inside.
I need…

Protection Friend Clothing
Doctor Job Money
Counseling Children’s Education Residency Stamp
Find my Family Adult Education Food
Protection
I have recently been attacked or threatened in Cairo. I need protection from a certain person who is in Cairo.

1. Go to a police station with your blue card and valid residency permit. Show your wounds and get a police report. If you need medical care, the police will take you to the hospital and get a medical report.
2. Go to UNHCR by 8 am with the police report number and your blue card. In the garden ask for a protection interview, tell them you are in danger now, and you have a report.
3. If you cannot see the protection officer at UNHCR or you are unsafe to go to the police, go to AMERA and ask for help with protection.

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Help With Forms
I have a form for the UNHCR, IOM or an Embassy, which I need to fill out. I do not understand the form and need help filling it in.

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Doctor
I am sick and I need a doctor.
EMERGENCY:
1. If it is an emergency, you should always go to the closest medical facility or government hospital.
2. However, please note that Caritas can assist you with emergency medical care, but only if they are informed immediately.

NON-EMERGENCY:

1. If it is not an emergency, go to Caritas and ask to see a doctor. Caritas provides medical assistance to all blue-card holders, within the constraints of their budget.
2. If further tests or treatment are needed, you will be referred to a partner hospital. Usually Caritas will pay 75% of the cost of further examinations and operations and 50% of the cost of medication. However, this is subject to the Caritas-UNHCR committee's approval.
3. If you are not registered with Caritas, you will have to register before the doctor will see you, so you should go register as soon as you can even if you are not sick.
4. To register at Caritas:
a. On a Mon-Fri from 9am to 3pm, go to Caritas and walk behind the building to the enquiry window to make an appointment for an interview.
b. On the date of your interview, go to Caritas at 9am (though it is wise to be early).
c. Bring: blue card, passport (if available), photocopies of blue card and passport, and one picture of yourself.
d. When you arrive, give your appointment slip to the man at the window at the rear entrance and then wait outside the building until you are called for your interview.
e. Be prepared, Caritas may ask questions about your circumstances in Cairo, and you should tell them what kinds of assistance you would like to receive from them.
f. Caritas will then tell you what type of assistance they can give you. You should not leave your appointment until Caritas tells you what, if any, type of assistance you qualify for.

OR

1. If you have been in Cairo for less than two years and you are registered at All Saints, go there and ask for a medical appointment.
2. You will pay 3 LE to see a doctor.
a. All Saints provides general medicine, antenatal care, TB clinic, and family planning advice. If they cannot meet your needs they will refer you to another hospital. All Saints will cover half the cost of all treatment. Regarding antenatal care for first time delivery, the mother must pay 150 LE at the beginning and she will be given monitoring during pregnancy, delivery, as well as food and vitamin packages. The Tuberculosis clinic is free of charge.
b. Timetable for Health Clinics:
Mondays and Tuesdays: Maternity
Wednesday and Saturday: General Health Care
Thursday: Children
Saturday: General Health and TB patients

OR

1. If you are not able to receive care though All Saints, try a government hospital. They usually
charge 1 LE per visit and laboratory exams, x-rays and medicine are sometimes free if they have it
available. Pregnancy care is about 15LE initial charge (covers all checkups, follow-ups, x-rays,
sonar and other lab tests until delivery date) and then 40LE for a normal delivery.

OR

1. If you try all of the things above and still can not get help, call AMERA and ask for a medical team appointment.
2. When you come to your appointment bring:
a. Your blue card
b. Any medical documents you have from doctors you have visited.
3. An AMERA advisor will interview you and see if they can refer you to another service provider for care. AMERA does not have any doctors on staff, or ability to pay for your treatment; we will only help you access other providers.

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Counseling
I am overly sad and cannot control my emotions. Sometimes I have outbursts, or cannot slee, or stop crying. I am worried about my health and want to talk to someone.

1. If you have been the victim of violence in your home country and this is still affecting you, call El Nadeem and ask for an appointment to discuss these issues. When they give you an appointment, ask them if you need to bring an interpreter.

OR

1. Call or visit AMERA and ask for a counseling appointment.
2. When you come to AMERA bring your blue card
3. You will stay for a one-hour interview with a counselor (and interpreter if needed) who will listen to you and offer advice or refer you to someone else who can advise you.

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Find my Family
I have lost contact with members of my family who I think are still in my home country or have moved to a new country. I would like to find them.

1. Call the International Committee of the Red Cross and ask for a family-tracing interview (3379282).
2. At the interview, bring:
a. Your identification documents
b. The last address and phone number you knew of your family members
c. Any pictures you have of your family
d. An interpreter if you don’t speak Arabic or English

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Friends
I am lonely in Cairo and want to find a group of people I can relate to and spend time with.

1. Call one of the following refugee community organizations that are in your area, make plans to meet them and find a group to join
a. Sudanese
i. The Egypt Sudanese Development and Building Association of South Sudan
ii. Nuba Mountain Association
iii. Nuer Women's Group
iv. Zande Community Group
v. Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA)
b. Somali
i. Somali Umbrella for Development
c. Ugandan
i. Ugandan Community Group
2. Join an educational support group at AMERA. Call to learn the times for each group.
a. Somali Women's Group (In Somali)
b. Ethiopian Women's Group (In English)
c. Young Men's Group (In English)
3. Visit some of the churches or other organizations that have social events for refugees and asylum seekers.
a. All Saints
b. St. Andrew
c. Sakakini

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Job
I am looking for a job here in Cairo.

1. Go to Caritas and tell them you want to register for the job placement services.
2. They will require you to do a short interview with them and then will put you on a list for job opportunities.
3. If you are not registered at Caritas, you will need to register first:
a. On a Mon-Fri from 9am to 3pm, go to Caritas and walk behind the building to the enquiry window to make an appointment for an interview.
b. On the date of your interview, go to Caritas at 9am (though it is wise to be early).
c. Bring: blue card, passport (if available), photocopies of blue card and passport, and one picture of yourself.
d. When you arrive, give your appointment slip to the man at the window at the rear entrance and then wait outside the building until you are called for your interview.
e. Be prepared, Caritas may ask questions about your circumstances in Cairo, and you should tell them what kinds of assistance you would like to receive from them.
4. Caritas will then tell you what type of assistance they can give you. You should not leave your appointment until Caritas tells you what, if any, type of assistance you qualify for.

OR

1. Go to All Saints.
2. If you are registered with All Saints, ask them to sign up for either their job placement program (mainly jobs cooking, cleaning and running errands) or the Tul Crafts income generation project, or both.
3. If you are not registered with All Saints, you will have to register first.
a. To register go to All Saints (in the morning Mon-Fri) within your first year in Cairo and ask to do a registration interview.
b. You should bring: passport, photocopies of your passport, and one picture of yourself.
c. In the interview they will ask about the reasons you left your home country, how you traveled to Cairo, where you are living in Cairo and your general situation.
d. You should return to All Saints (probably the next Monday) and pick up your All Saints card.

OR

1. Go to Heliopolis Community Church and ask to register for their job placement service.

OR

1. Visit St. Andrew’s and sign up for their African arts program.
2. Before you join you will have to register with St. Andrew’s. When you go ask for an eligibility interview (during office hours, at the main office on second floor). You will receive a slip of paper with a number on it; the paper also has a time and date for your interview.
3. Return to St. Andrews at the time your paper says, you will have a half-hour interview. Remember to bring: passport, UNHCR slip or card, and any other form that shows your identity.
4. One week after the interview, the church will post names of all those accepted on the bulletin board. Those whose names are not posted are not eligible to participate in St. Andrew’s programming.
5. Once accepted by the church, you may enroll in any of programs offered, dependent upon available space and language ability.
OR

1. Visit Maadi Community Church and ask to sign up for their job placement services.

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Childhood Education
I have children who are of school age who are not enrolled in a school.

1. Register with Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
a. At the end of August call the CRS office in Sakakini to ask when to come for an interview.
b. Take your blue card to Sakakini and register.
c. Pay tuition at the school of your choice (St. Andrew’s and government schools do not qualify) and bring the receipts to CRS, who will give you a piece of paper to take to the bank for reimbursement.
d. Then, in December, if you have attended class you will receive a second payment from CRS.
e. Newcomers or those who were too late for the grant in September may register for a grant in December if some students move or drop out of school. Call CRS in December to learn when this registration is.

THEN

You have three options for childhood education: refugee schools, government schools and private schools.

1. Refugee Schools:
Usually Refugee Schools have Sudanese teachers and an Egyptian curriculum and cost 25-135 LE per year. There is no need of documentation for enrollment, but some schools have waiting lists. Classes are in Arabic, with the exception of St. Andrew's, All Saints and African Hope, which are in English. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) may refund the tuition money after you pay, provided you have registered in advance with them. Children will get an education, but will not receive any recognized certificate for their efforts. The Egyptian Government does not recognize refugee schools, and therefore they are unaccredited. This means that children cannot pursue a higher education (University). For school in Arabic, go to Sakakini who acts as an umbrella for the other Arabic schools.

2. Government Schools:
Currently there are few refugees enrolled in governmental schools, but technically, refugees have the legal right to attend. (There is no CRS reimbursement for government schools.)
The documents needed are:
1. Equivalency for previous grade (stamped by General Directory for Examination
16th Amin Samy in Monira) or an equivalency exam.
2. Birth Certificate
3. Letter from UNHCR (or Embassy) stating that they are living in the
country legally
4. Residency stamp in Blue/Blue Card (Go to Foreign Affairs for slip, and then to Mugamma 10
days later).
5. Passport
6. Take all of these documents to the school to register at the end of August.

3. Private Schools:
Private schools offer a good education, but are expensive. Anywhere from 900 LE to many thousands, not including uniforms and books. It is possible to get up to 600 LE back from CRS, but the money must first come from the refugee. Documentation requirements vary, but are similar to government schools.

Note: Somali students have had some success registering at Al Azhar school. They teach the students Arabic and students receive accreditation for their work. If you are having problems registering with Al Azhar, you may call AMERA and ask to speak with the education focal point.

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Adult Education
I am an adult and I want to learn a language or a skill, either for work, my future or just a way to spend my time and meet people.
1. Contact any of the centers listed below to learn of courses offered and how to enroll.

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Skills Training:

Name Address Type Fees Phone
Malaika Company Agouza Embroidery for women, job opportunity following training free 0122285987
Caritas 8 Dar El Shifa Garden City Sewing, maintenance, driving, geriatric care, carpentry free 7691771 7964441
Darfur Assoication Dokk Computers free  
Sakakini/ St. Bakhita Ahmed Saeed Abbasseya Computers and tailoring 30 LE 6824351
African Group for Development AUC,Downtown Arts and crafts with English training for women 50 LE 0101995587
St. Andrews Nasser Metro Downtown Computers, Fine Art, Crafts Sewing 20 LE 5759457
Egyptian Sudan Dev. and Build. Lewa Aseslam Arba Wa Nuss Computers 10-20 LE 9288980
All Saints 5 Michael Lutfah Zamalek Crafts training, sale of products Housecleaning training XXX 7364836
Craft Training Center 12b Ibn Marwan Hammat El Koba Crafts training, job following completion of the training 50 LE 4551564
SUDA 33 Abdel Khalik Computers and internet XXX 3956275
Sheroque for Little Projects 7 Alta’wn St. Ramsis Square following Excellent craft training, job 7-day course 250 LE 5786831
Al Mostaqbal Center 108 Magles, fl 2 Alummah, Sayeda Zenab Crafts trainging, job following completion of the training 20-350 3958770
Somali Develop Org. (SODO) 6 El Omda, fl 3 Ard El Lewah Computer courses   7324551
Language Classes:
Centre Name Address Language Fees Phone
Somali Umbrella Association for Development, SUDS Arba Wa Nuss Arabic English 15 LE 6715616
Somali Development Organisation, SODO Abbasseya English 20 LE 7324551
Modern Education Mattareeya English 45 LE  
Sudan Centre 15 Masr Wel Sudan Street Abbasseya English Arabic Dinka 20 LE 4833160
WECDBA Arab Hasanin Disuqi, Maadi English Zande 25 LE  
DSCLC Arba Wa Nuss English 10 LE  
St. Bakita Arba Wa Nuss English 20 LE  
Canossa Social Centre Halmaet Zaytoon English Arabic 30-60 LE 6388900
All Saints Zamalek Englsih Dinka 20 LE 7368391
St. Andrews Downtown English 20 LE 5759457
British Council Agouza English 750 LE 3001666
STAR AUC, Downtown English free starclasses@gmail.com

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Food
I have no money to buy food. Where can I find someone to give me food?

  1. If you are pregnant, a TB patient, a large family, malnourished, or a single mother, you can go to All Saints and request food provisions.
  2. If you are already registered with All Saints you can apply for food only once every two months. Go to All Saints on Monday at 10am to apply for food, and then go the following Wednesday at 12pm to pick up your food.

3.   If you are not registered with All Saints, you will have to register first.

    1. To register go to All Saints (in the morning Mon-Fri) within your first year in Cairo and ask to do a registration interview.
    2. You should bring: passport, photocopies of your passport, and one picture of yourself.
    3. In the interview they will ask about the reasons you left your home country, how you traveled to Cairo, where you are living in Cairo and your general situation.
    4. You should return to All Saints (probably the next Monday) and pick up your All Saints card.

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Clothing

My family and I need clothing to wear, where can we find someone to help us?

  1. If you are registered at All Saints, go there on Tuesday at 9am and request a clothing donation. At their clothing store All Saints gives out clothing, donated by Egyptians and foreigners, free of charge. Three items per person.
  2. Then go the following Thursday at 9am to pick up your clothing. You can only apply for clothing once.

3.   If you are not registered with All Saints, you will have to register first.

    1. To register go to All Saints (in the morning Mon-Fri) within your first year in Cairo and ask to do a registration interview.
    2. You should bring: passport, photocopies of your passport, and one picture of yourself.
    3. In the interview they will ask about the reasons you left your home country, how you traveled to Cairo, where you are living in Cairo and your general situation.
    4. You should return to All Saints (probably the next Monday) and pick up your All Saints card.

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Money

I am very vulnerable and need money. Is there anyone who can help me?

  1. Unfortunately most of the organizations that help refugees refuse to give money. Caritas is the only organization that does give money as a policy, but it is extremely difficult to qualify for their help.
  2. If you are an unaccompanied minor, have a family of more than five people, have a medical disability or are in an extreme emergency situation, you can go to Caritas and tell them of your situation. Caritas gives some on-going assistance and some one-time emergency grants.
  3. A joint Caritas-UNHCR committee makes all decisions about who qualifies to receive any form of financial assistance.

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Residency Permit
I do not have a valid residency permit in my Blue Card.
A residency permit allows refugees to stay in Egypt legally. If the police look at your Blue Card for any purpose, or you want to register for school or other Egyptian services, you must have a valid residency stamp on your UNHCR card.   

  1. Go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday from 10-12 in the morning. Bring your Blue Card AND a photocopy of your Blue Card. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give you a piece of paper that you must not loose!
  2. Wait for three weeks. Then go to the Mugamma. Bring your Blue Card and the small paper you received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They will put the residency stamp on your UNHCR card.

Note: Residency stamps are only valid for six months, you must repeat this process every six months!

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