ABOUT US

WHY SETI ?

SETI Center was established by Caritas Egypt in 1986, through which the main mission revolves around providing adequate services to individuals with disabilities, especially intellectual and related disabilities to further support and train their families. Our services are also dedicated to help the less fortunate and the most marginalized to promote their wellbeing in a community where the resources for providing such services are scarce.

WHAT WE DO ?

  • Through SETI, direct services are provided to individuals with disabilities as early on from the birth stage up until adulthood, ranging from early intervention to employment, depending on the age of the individual.
  • SETI believes that family intervention acts as a main factor, and for that reason, services are provided not only for the person with disability, but also for their family members (parents, siblings….), for better guidance and training for effective participation in the intervention program.
  • SETI works towards the empowerment of families through the formation of Family Support Groups, Empowerment to advocate for the rights of their children, and the formation of Siblings support groups.
  • SETI encourages vocational rehabilitation employment and recognizes the potential of individuals with disabilities, through their employment in the open market.
  • SETI sets focus on the training of professionals (educators, teachers, social workers, doctors, nurses..) in order to ensure effective intervention to individuals with disabilities, and its alignment with the UN Convention of Rights of Persons with disabilities.
  • SETI supports governmental and non governmental entities to provide Inclusive Services such as: Inclusive Education, Inclusive Employment, Inclusive Recreation.
  • SETI coordinates with official entities to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to their rights and are guaranteed a good quality life.
  • SETI also sheds light on the field of disabilities through raising awareness among various sectors of society (media, social workers, doctors, nurses, religious leaders, school and university students..) and communities in general to adopt a right-based approach to deal with individuals with disabilities.
  • SETI develops and spreads low cost models of service delivery with wide coverage **
  • In order to support the families with limited financial means, low cost educational material are employed in the services provided by SETI as well as adapted equipment to benefit those families.
  • Aside from traditional awareness campaigns, audio visual awareness and educational material methods are being spread in Arabic languages to focus on diversity of different sectors of the society in the form of: flyers, posters, pamphlets, posters, booklets, videos.

FACTS & FIGURES

Through a realistic lens, the beneficiaries of SETI center expand to benefit individuals from a variety of different backgrounds who face the same issue: disability. Around 2,500 individuals benefit annually among whom are:

  • ⦁ 1500 children and youth with disabilities and their families from all governorates of Egypt, both religious backgrounds, and various socio-economic levels.
  • ⦁ 600 individuals trained annually to work and improve their practices in the field of disability, and further shed light on the field and how to enhance its services.
  • ⦁ 1000 persons participating in community awareness programs, in Cairo, Alexandria and Sohag as well as in various governorates in the Nile Delta, coastal regions and Upper Egypt. Cairo, Alexandria, Sohag, Kalioubeya, Gharbeya, Sharkeya, Beheira, Marsa Matrouh, Damietta, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minia, Assiout, Sohag, Qena, Louxor, Aswan, Red Sea
  • ⦁ SETI's activities have been extended to include trainees in the Arab region as well. Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates

CHANGES & IMPACTS

  • ⦁ Early intervention services are now provided in several governmental hospitals, Mother and Child health units, and Community Development associations to serve thousands of new borns and children up until the age of 4.
  • ⦁ Family Rehabilitation Programs targeting families with children with disabilities are expanding onto not only enhancing the life of individuals with disabilities, but also supporting their families and assist them towards a healthier and higher quality life.
  • ⦁ Community Based Rehabilitation services cover districts in Cairo, Guiza, Alexandria, Sharkia, Damietta, Assiout, Sohag, Qena, Louxor and Aswan serving thousands of families who have no access to services
  • ⦁ Volunteers and students of various specializations from both public and private universities have better understanding about rights and needs of persons with disabilities, leading to a generation with a positive attitude towards disability.
  • ⦁ Services initiated and run by families are spreading in the poorer and less fortunate districts and other governorates (Imbaba, Khanka, Marg, Zagazig, Minia…).
  • ⦁ As a result of SETI's services and efforts, over 1100 children with disabilities are now integrated in more than 90 regular schools.
  • ⦁ Many of the youth with disabilities who benefited from SETI’s services as children succeeded in accessing higher education at universities, in receiving sports awards and in accessing decent job opportunities in the open market.
  • ⦁ Over 15 Parents support groups are being formed and trained to advocate for the rights of the children and to support other families in several governorates.
  • ⦁ Over 100 audiovisual publications are issued in Arabic and used in various contexts and in a number of different communities
  • ⦁ SETI’s pilot models of early intervention, family empowerment, community based rehabilitation, inclusive education, formation of family support and advocacy groups, making use of Montessori, psychomotor, sensory integration techniques etc….are adopted by organisations in Egypt as well as the Arab region

AWARDS

  • ⦁ In 2017, SETI was granted an international award, "Zero Project Award of Best Practice in the field of Rehabilitation and Employment of youth with disabilities", in recognition of the efforts that it has been exerting in the past decades. SETI’s program was selected as one of the most innovative world practices in the field of employment of persons with disabilities by Essl Foundation, World Future Foundation and European Council.
  • ⦁ In 2020, SETI was granted Nicolas Ciaccio Award for Excellent Services to Children with Disabilities by the American University in Cairo as a recognition for its outstanding efforts in this field.