Diaspora Philanthropy in an AtRisk Society: The Case of Coptic Orphans in Egypt

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Diaspora Philanthropy in an At-Risk Society
The Case of Coptic Orphans in Egypt

• Jennifer Brinkerhoff
• George Washington University

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Key Questions

• What are the potential gains from diaspora
  philanthropy?
• How can we capture them, especially in at-risk
  countries?

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Presentation Outline

• Brief review of diaspora potential contributions
  and how to capture them
• The case of Coptic Orphans
• Lessons, including those specific to faith-based
  organizations in at-risk countries

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The Potential of Diaspora Philanthropy

• Why diasporas?
• Multiple allegiances, emotional ties
• Hybrid identity
• Applications to Afghanistan reconstruction
  (Brinkerhoff, 2004)

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Potential Gains

• Cultural competencies (as above)
• Economic and knowledge resources
• Diaspora philanthropy
• Tacit knowledge

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How to Capture these Gains?

• Ability
• Solidarity and community identity
• Organizational/networking base
• Motivation
• Identity expression
• Maintaining or acquiring power resources
• Issue framing
• Enabling Environment

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Egyptian Context

• Semi-authoritarian regime
• Elections, but low voter turnout, fraud, vote
  rigging
• Documented human rights abuses
• Discrimination against Copts in employment and
  within society
• 2005-2006 Upsurge in inter-religious societal
  violence
• Medium range human development index, though over
  20 below the poverty line
• Lowest HDI performance in Upper Egypt

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Coptic Orphans

• Founded in 1989 incorporated in 1992
• 1.87 million nonprofit, serving over 10,500
  children in Egypt
• 19 staff and offices in Virginia, Canada,
  Australia, and Egypt
• Founded by Nermien Riad
• Youth of the Nation

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Programs

• Child Assistance
• Valuable Girl Project
• Serve to Learn
• 1001 Tales (modeled on Reading is Fundamental)

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Keys to Success

• Having one foot in two cultures
• Identity and faith
• Education and professional experience
• ? Tacit knowledge

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Confirming Lessons from the Literature

• Benefits of hybrid identity
• Gains of economic resources and socio-cognitive
  knowledge and experience
• Importance of mobilization of identity and
  solidarity, organizational resources, and issue
  framing

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Faith-Based Organizations and At-Risk Societies

• Faith confirms continuing allegiance and affinity
• Church provides importance organizational
  resources
• Proactive homeland policy frameworks may not be
  necessary or appropriate

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Conclusion

• Diaspora philanthropy as innovative remittance
  capture
• Particular advantages of faith-based diasporas
  and organizations