Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, in coordination with the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), launched service campaigns and public development initiatives on 18 January, in provinces around the country. They began with a number of medical convoys and charitable sales of food and clothes in several districts in each province. In a press statement on 19 January, Hassan Fathallah, media coordinator for the campaign in Alexandria, said: “This service campaign for the people of Alexandria is something the Muslim Brotherhood has been doing every year for long decades. The FJP has now joined it to help ease the burden on our country people in this province.
“Today (Friday), about 80,000 citizens visited our convoys, which comprises some 15 health-care convoys covering all medical specialties, in addition to 70 charity markets for food and clothing in most areas and neighbourhoods of Alexandria.” The Brotherhood also launched a Charitable Pavilion campaign for the sale of meat at discounted prices, in the Fifth District at 37 Egyptian Pounds (approx. US$5.5) per kilogram, just a little more than half the normal price. The Pavilion proved very popular, with a large turnout of citizens of the neighbourhood, where more than half a ton of meat was sold.