Empowering Egypt's Street Children: AFD Launches Initiative to Support Socio-Professional Integration of Street Children in Cairo

Led by Samusocial International, in partnership with Sawiris Foundation, Ora Developers, RATP Group Foundation, and RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

Paris, France, July 2024 - The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) launched the project "Offering new horizons for the socio-professional integration of children and youths in street situations through sports, education and preparation for employment" on the sidelines of a global sports event in Paris this summer. By providing up to EUR 200,000, AFD aims to address the urgent issue of exclusion faced by Children and Youth in Street Situations (CYSS) in Cairo.

With this Letter of Intent, Samusocial International (SSI) and its local office, Samusocial International Egypt (SSIEG), formalized their collaboration with AFD, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD), Ora Developers Egypt, the RATP Group Foundation, and RATP Dev Mobility Cairo (RDMC) to support at-risk children and youth by combining sports, education, and professional preparation. In collaboration with its strategic partners, the project focuses on the social inclusion of street children in Cairo, especially girls, and aims to empower girls, women, and young mothers by providing the necessary support and opportunities.

Marie-Hélène Loison, Deputy Director General of AFD, emphasized: "This partnership embodies our commitment to fostering inclusive development through innovative solutions. By leveraging the power of sports and education, we aim to provide a pathway for marginalized youth in Egypt to integrate fully into society."

Jacques Carles, President of Samusocial International, underlined: "Children and youth in street situations in Egypt are among the most marginalized individuals, disconnected from social systems and public services such as education and health. They lack family protection and often mistrust institutions, making them hard to reach. This is why Samusocial International Egypt focuses on building trust with these children to provide essential medical, psychosocial, and legal support. Now, with the support of our partners, this initiative will enable us to create the conditions for them to move forward and find their own way toward a better future".

The Sawiris Foundation will offer five annual scholarships to the German Hotel School in Gouna. The RATP Group Foundation, along with RATP Dev Mobility Cairo, will also facilitate the social and professional integration of youth through workshops, internships, a mentorship program, and mobility support.
Laila Hosny, Executive Director of the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, said: "This initiative aims at not only changing the lives of Egyptian children and youth but also promotes a culture of inclusivity and empowerment in Egypt. At the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, we consider the integrated development of children one of our core focuses. Sports play a crucial role in teaching teamwork, discipline, and resilience, which are essential for their socio-professional integration. This project underscores our commitment to creating sustainable change and providing the necessary tools for children to realize their full potential."

Raphaël René-Bazin, Secretary General of RATP Group Foundation, said: "we are really proud to contribute on the social and professional integration of Cairo's street youth as part of the global project "new horizons" with such key partners."

Wadii Bouchiha, CEO of RATP Dev Mobility Cairo, said: "We are absolutely delighted and honored to be involved in this project, which is in line with our commitment to make a positive impact beyond our core business of operating and maintaining public transportation systems. All the staff of our company is committed to support the youth of Cairo in their path toward a better future."

Additionally, Ora Developers Egypt will leverage its sports expertise through professional sports clubs, experts, and in-kind materials under the Ora Empowers initiative, which promotes youth empowerment in sports, education, and personal development throughout Egypt.

Dalia Alloub, Ora Developers Egypt, stated: "Part of Ora Developers Egypt's ethos as a responsible investor is to offer equal opportunities to the youth and the community we operate in. Driven by the commitment to provide inclusion, we are thrilled to join hands with our esteemed partners through our CSR arm, Ora Empowers, to provide valuable resources and opportunities that will inspire and nurture the talents of young people across Egypt."

Meanwhile, SSIEG will collaborate with the ARK Foundation for street sports activities and with Caritas, Nour El Hayat, and two government centers for girls (Agouza and Kasserat) for shelter-based activities. Employment-related initiatives will involve Banati, Ana El Masry, and Face. The project also aims to raise public awareness and promote a positive image of these children and youth through extensive communication efforts.

It is worth noting that the Letter of Intent marks a significant step in transforming the lives of Egypt's street children, showcasing the power of partnership in addressing global challenges. The parties have committed to designing and implementing an impactful program for social inclusion, creating a holistic support system for CYSS, fostering social change, promoting volunteer engagement, and mobilizing financial and technical support to sustain the project.

-Ends-

Press contacts:
For AFD: Zied Ounissi [email protected]/ Kabil Zerouali [email protected]
For the Sawiris Foundation: Mohamed Lotfy / [email protected]
For Samusocial International: Marie Chuberre [email protected]
For RATP group: Laurène Guillemineau [email protected]
For RATP Dev Mobility Cairo: Mai Yousery [email protected]

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group has established itself as a key player in Franco-Egyptian cooperation, working since 2006 to support the country's economic, social and environmental transitions.
In response to these challenges, AFD is stepping up its efforts and in 2022 revised its strategic intervention framework to support the country in the transitions underway and respond to Egypt's specific climate change adaptation needs, gender equality or training and employment.
With a portfolio of €2.3 billion (November 2023), AFD is deploying a diversified range of instruments to support the Egyptian government in its development objectives, mainly in the sustainable infrastructure sectors (energy, transport, water and sanitation), climate finance, support for the private sector and entrepreneurship, and social sectors, including social protection.

Today, 55 projects are underway, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reflecting the priorities shared by Egypt and France. They are intended to support the integration of Egyptian financial, commercial and productive systems at the regional level; to support the development of green, inclusive and efficient infrastructure; and promote equitable and sustainable local territorial development.
Learn more about the AFD Group's activity in Egypt
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About Sawiris Foundation:
The Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is one of the first donor foundations in Egypt. Established in 2001 by the Sawiris family, SFSD philanthropically promotes and supports innovative solutions that target comprehensive and sustainable development in Egypt.
Over the last 23 years, SFSD has addressed the most pressing issues facing marginalized Egyptians, such as poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, and limited access to quality education, by funding the delivery of programs aimed at achieving comprehensive and sustainable development, in partnership with the governmental and private sectors as well as civil society. By creating thousands of job opportunities and providing quality education and access to basic services, we have impacted the lives of approximately 1 million Egyptians. Our funded programs cover 24 Egyptian governorates, focusing on the most remote villages.
With increasing global and national challenges, Sawiris Foundation developed its strategic directions while finding the most cost-effective and impactful ways to support Egypt's marginalized families and those trying to further positive social change in Egypt. By following the philosophy of effective altruism and evidence-based practices, we have launched our 2023-2028 strategy to maximize our impact in reducing multidimensional poverty and empowering agents of change in Egypt.
Learn more about Sawiris Foundation for Social Development

About RATP Group Foundation:
RATP Group Foundation has been committed to serving the public interest in the heart of the territories where the RATP Group is present. In keeping with the RATP Group's raison d'être, the Foundation aspires to a world in which everyone, whatever their situation, can participate fully in the life of the community. To this end, the Foundation supports local public-interest projects in favour of social integration through two programs: facilitating professional integration and ensuring equal access to the city's resources and opportunities for people in economic or social difficulty. In addition to financial support, the Group also contributes many resources in kind through the mobilization of its companies and employees, as is the case for this program with the local RDMC subsidiary.
Learn more about RATP Group Foundation

About RATP Dev RATP Dev Mobility Cairo (RDMC):
RDMC is the Egyptian subsidiary of RATP Group (through RATP Dev). Established in 2020, RDMC currently employs around 3000 people to operate and maintain the Green Line 3 of the Cairo Metro as well as the Capital Train, which connects the historic city of Cairo with the New Administrative Capital. As a key player in the development of Greater Cairo, RDMC pays particular attention to its social impact, with a focus on gender diversity and inclusion. RDMC will mainly provide in-kind contributions to enhance the employability of youth and young adults through workshops, internships, a mentorship programme, etc.
Learn more about RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

About Samusocial International:
Samusocial International (SSI) is a French NGO founded in 1998. It aims at promoting actions and disseminating knowledge on social exclusion, notably by supporting the creation and development of Samusocial services in urban areas throughout the world. Founded on a community of shared values, ethical principles, and methodologies, the network of Samusocial International partners spans various regions of the world (Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East).
Its office in Egypt, Samusocial International Egypt (SSIEG), has been intervening since 2008 directly with the children and youths in street situations (CYSS) and accompanies them at the social, medical, psychological and legal levels. Samusocial International Egypt focuses first on identifying the most excluded children living on the street, to create a trust relationship for them to accept help. SSIEG teams offer medical, psychosocial and legal support to this extremely vulnerable category, paying special attention to girls, women and young mothers. SSIEG teams follow each beneficiary whether still in the street or in partner shelters with an individual perspective and engages them in different activities that will contribute to their social and economic reintegration.
Learn more about Samusocial International

About Ora Developers Egypt:
Ora Developers Group has a proven track record of creating beautiful environments that balance exceptional thinking with enduringly sensitive design in several markets such as London, Cyprus, Grenada, Pakistan, and Egypt. Ora's developments are living, breathing lifestyle destinations with a real sense of community spirit - bringing opportunity for all and offering a wide range of enjoyable lifestyle experiences.
Ora Developers Egypt entered the Egyptian market in 2018 to become the first in the country to introduce park-side living with the sole vision of harnessing the natural beauty of Egypt's extraordinary landscapes and managing the development process from conception to realization. In addition to the various residential development projects: ZED El Sheikh Zayed, ZED East, Pyramids Hills, Solana, and Silversands which is located on the North Coast, Ora Developers Group boasts leading investments in commercial real estate, office spaces, parks, sports, and recreational clubs, as well as hospitality.
Learn more about Ora Developers Egypt