Like any journey, the story of how the hospital got its start happened eight years ago; it was also the first time I witnessed a burn injury – on a day no one ever associates with a catastrophe – a 7-year-old girl’s baby shower.

During the celebrations, one of the candles was a little too close to the baby girl’s bed and it caught fire, leaving her badly burned.

I had to race against time to save her but sadly, no hospital would admit a burn injury, and the tragic result was the death of this innocent little angel. It was one of the most moving and heart-breaking experiences of my life.

Nothing comes close to describing the feelings of helplessness when one sees parents’ shock and disbelief at hearing the news that their child has passed.

This deeply affecting story shows how, in a matter of seconds, life can change forever: within hours, the celebrations had turned into mourning.

Throughout the ensuing years, I encountered several such cases of burn and trauma victims and felt a strong sense of purpose and unwavering commitment towards them.

It is a testament to God’s mercy that there is a silver lining even to these tragedies: all the pain, frustration, and despair I witnessed were the driving force behind the establishment of the Ahl Masr Foundation for Development in 2013.

God has also blessed me with a team of dedicated colleagues who are as selfless as they are knowledgeable, and with whom I am honored to have shared the journey through the past eight years, as we keep moving forward with our ambitious goal one day at a time.

We can all be justly proud of the fact that Ahl Masr Foundation is the first foundation in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa region dedicated to the research, prevention and free treatment of Trauma and Burn injuries.

Ahl Masr is not merely an organization; it is a collective of which you as a donor are a major part. It is a group of like-minded individuals who together collaborate to make a positive impact that will form a lasting legacy – one where no person is ever turned away from treatment or left behind