Since Cairo’s Arkan first open its doors over eight years ago, it has been welcoming thousands of families daily, driving in and out of its parking. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Arkan once again opens its doors (and parking) to allow cars to cruise through as a part of a drive-thru charity, an initiative led by Savills Egypt, the leading global real estate consultancy who are currently managing the Arkan Development.
Available throughout the day (sans the curfew hours) guests can drive into the parking lot drop their donation (cash) into the drive-thru donation box and leave without having to pay for parking, as long as the process doesn’t take more than 15 mins. The developers of Arkan, El Badr Group, have also decided to donate all of Ramadan’s parking revenue to the same cause.
All the donations are being collected to help all service employees in their F&B outlets who were depending mostly on tips for income and are now struggling throughout the pandemic and the lock downs. The goal is to be able to provide all employees with an amount that would substitute the tips lost until the COVID-19 situation is resolved.
Tamer Elfiky, Marketing and Business Development Director at Savills Egypt said: “This pandemic has affected us all, especially the service industry and those who count on their monthly wages and tips for their day-to-day living. This creative initiative is the result of our hard work and efforts with El Badr team to look at innovative ways to adapt to the current situation and implement solutions that can curb as much as possible the impact of the crisis.”
Ahmad Badreldin, Managing Director at El Badr added: “Arkan’s success throughout the years is attributed to the community in which we operate, whether that is our daily guests, our tenants, or the wonderful staff and service providers at our various outlets. In these trying times, we must support one another to make sure we make it past this dilemma stronger and more compassionate towards one another.”
Arkan has been continuing to serve the community throughout the COVID-19 crisis, by all means permissible under the government’s restrictions. Offices, banks, and other services in Arkan such as medical labs and pharmacies have remained open to the public as they are all essential services that contribute to supporting the Egyptian economy in these difficult times.
