Participant Name:	Sara Amin
Project Location:	Minya, Egypt
Program:	Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) on Social Entrepreneurship
Term:	Summer 2015
Project Title:	Alf Salama (Speedy Recovery)
UConn GTDI Project Award:	Application Accepted & Funding Awarded

 

Sara believes that good health care is essential to healthy living and that all people should have access to clean, safe, and modern health care facilities. Because many people living in small villages in southern Egypt do not have access to good health care, Sara hopes to build up a strong medical system so that Egyptians can live healthier lives. Sara believes her organization can improve the standard of living for all people in Egypt by focusing on improving the quality of health care in rural areas.

Five-Year Project Goals:

• Create an app so a person can check availability of nearby ambulances, blood banks, medications, etc.
• Create a donation fund to help poor people pay medical bills and buy ambulances
• Open medical labs, clinics, and pharmacies in rural areas run by volunteers
• Work with the Egyptian government to create a better health care system including introducing public medical insurance to all people

Organization Information: Alf Salama (Speedy Recovery)

Alf Salama is a combination of two Arabic words that literally translate to "thousands of health" or "thousands of peace." This is a phrase commonly used when visiting loved ones in a hospital to wish them a speedy recovery. Health care facilities in southern Egypt are not up to par with modern expectations. The people from these small towns and villages must endure deteriorating buildings, out-of-date technology, and unsafe ambulance transportation, if any is even available. 

Alf Salama (Speedy Recovery) works with the Egyptian government and non-profit organizations in order to improve the medical services offered to underprivileged people in southern Egypt. The organization trains volunteers to serve poor communities, while working to build a better health care system for the region. Alf Salama helps people from rural communities get medications they would normally not be able to access and works to provide reliable ambulance services to rural communities far from hospitals.

Alf Salama partners with the Egyptian Red Crescent, the Egyptian Ministry of Health, and non-profit organizations including IDAM, the Jesuits, and Abu Bakr El-Sedik.