Photo: Rowan El Shimi

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Civil society's role in creating job opportunities: the case of the Sawiris Foundation

Shaima Abulhajj, Cairo Community Manager

Cairo, 3 February 2015

Unemployment is considered an unsolvable problem in Egypt, and according to some analysts, the main reason behind the revolution in 2011. Recently, the World Bank warned the Egyptian government, revealing that the unemployment rate in Egypt exceeded 25 percent, while the local government's assessment is 13 percent. Economists are calling for the Egyptian government to take decisive action and try to use the financial aid from Gulf countries to create new jobs.

The government is working hard to improve the economic situation and encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a number of initiatives. The most important of these was the one adopted by the Central Bank of Egypt in 2008 to create a database of Egyptian SMEs in order to support the owners of those enterprises. The project also included launching the Egypt Enterprise Development Project (EEDP) in co-operation with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to support young entrepreneurs.

The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development has launched several successful initiatives to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty for the Cairene population, as well as train unprivileged youth to qualify them for work and create employment opportunities. The most significant of its leading projects is Yala Neshtaghal (Let Us Work), which was implemented in co-operation with the the Egyptian Foundation for Research and Training Services for Clothing and Weaving. This project aims to train 900 young recent graduates from disadvantaged groups in the garment industry. The program includes five courses on the design and execution of ready-made garments. As soon as they pass the training tests, the trainees are employed in factories.

Another unique project in Cairo run by the Foundation is called Towards a Better Tomorrow, which is implemented in co-operation with a local association. It aims to qualify and train 400 young men and women in craft-making skills that the labor market needs in the field of electronic device maintenance. Training courses are provided to help the youth acquire market skills and enable them to fill available vacancies in the private sector. The Foundation adopted this program in an effort to improve social and economic standards for youth, and ease the burden on government in terms of employment.

Finally, the Foundation supports traditional "endangered" industries, such as leather tanning craftsmanship. It launched a program to qualify and train 600 beneficiaries in leather tanning and 175 beneficiaries in pottery skills, using modern technologies in order to revive those two historical Egyptian industries. Trainees receive practical applications by engaging in well-established workshops. The project also aims to enhance the efficiency of a number of entrepreneurs, by training them on project management and marketing skills, as well as lending participants small amounts to upgrade their workshops, create workplaces for trained youth, and support the export of products.

These initiatives constitute part of the Foundation's mission to alleviate poverty, support Egyptian families, and employ youth. These programs are a way to reduce violence, especially in marginalized and informal areas, thanks to the Sawiris Foundation's belief in its social role and responsibility as a member of Egyptian civil society.

Photo: Rowan El Shimi

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