Nevine Ezzat

John Kotsikas (1820-1887) great benefactor from karystos Greece moved to Sudan and engaged in trade while he was maintaining large warehouses in Jeddah he moved to Egypt and continue his trade activities there.

Polychronis & Theoharis Kotsikas were John nephews. In order to find better fortune, they follow in their uncle steps they emigrated to Egypt where they engaged in trade, making great progress. They inherited their uncle fortune.

Theoharis Kotsikas was born in Karystos 1857 and passed away 1932 in Alexandria he was a Banker and occupied with insurance business. He was married to Angeliki Afoudaki and they had a son Theodore 1899.

During the presidency of Antonios Antoniadis to the Greek community Alexandria with the assistance and help of the Kotsikas family, was built the multistory, modern and well-equipped hospital.» Kotsikio » The Community took over the management of the hospital, which was inaugurated in 1938. The hospital played an important role during the World War II when the Greek army and the exiled Greek government fled to Egypt. During the war, the 250-bed hospital treated wounded Greeks, Egyptians and allies. The hospital was sold by the Greek government to Egypt at 1964.

They also built the holy church of St. Iwanis Prodromos inside the hospital was recently restored and still operating.

Polychronis Kotsikas he was born in Karystos 1860 and passed away 1922 in Zurich He was an industrialist and banker by profession & the manager of Navigation Mixte company. He gave great interest in establishing the Greek center in Cairo 1894.

The house Cozzica established large alcohol factories in Toura near the quarries of the Pyramids, from which they acquired a large fortune. And it was considered to be the higher and the best quality not only in Egypt but in all the middle East. They contributed in the National Economic development and helped strengthen the Greek community.

Moderate, conservative and unpretentious as they were, they spent their wealth for the good of their homeland and the Egyptians who worked in their factories. They also donated large sums of money to the Greek state. They intensified the liberation wars of 1912- 1913 participated in the construction of the battelship Averoff , raised the statue of Charilaos Trikoupis in the old courtyard of the old parliament and built two warplanes .

In every way they also helped their homeland. They built many public and educational institutions in Karystos.