Sawiris Foundation donates 100 million pounds to Egypt’s coronavirus battle

Sawiris Foundation, an Egyptian charity linked to business tycoons Naguib, Samih, and Nassef Sawiris, has donated 100 million Egyptian pounds ($6.3 million) to support the country’s fight against coronavirus.

The donation is part of the foundation’s plan to support immediate emergency initiatives, it said in a statement on Saturday.

The donation will be split between committing 40 million pounds for casual workers and neediest families as well as 60 million pounds for the health ministry and the state’s precautionary efforts, the statement said.

In 2001 Onsi Sawiris, the patriarch of the Sawiris family business dynasty of Egypt founded the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, a charity that provides micro credit to Egyptian entrepreneurs and grants scholarships to outstanding Egyptian students in tertiary institutions.  Onsi’s sons, Naguib, Samih, and Nassef all sit on the board of the foundation.

Egypt confirmed on Friday 120 new coronavirus cases and 8 new fatalities, the highest daily increase in infections and deaths so far.

To date, the total number of virus cases has reached 985 nationwide, while the death toll stands at 66.