USAID funds $3mln program to empower Upper Egypt’s girls in Qena, Minya

CAIRO – 20 October 2021: Upper Egypt’s governorate of Qena witnessed a conference Wednesday to launch a $3 million-worth program aiming to empower girls socially and economically.

The program is under the auspices of the Egyptian Foundation for Integrated Development (Al-Nida), and funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

The program targets 1,520 young men and women, families and community leaders to create a common vision for community development and to empower girls and women in rural areas from different social and cultural backgrounds in education, according to the statements of Dr. Walid Bariqa, the Executive Director of the Nidaa Foundation.

The launch event was attended by Director of USAID Office of Democratic Affairs Jason Taylor, who expressed his happiness to launch such program, saying that it also aims “to strengthen the community-based approach to address violence against women and girls in Egypt.”

Dr. Bariqa said that the program will be implemented in 12 of the most needy villages in the governorates of Qena and Minya (8 in Qena and 4 in Minya) over a period of three years.

The program further organizes campaigns to raise awareness of gender issues and harmful practices, besides holding trainings on boosting interpersonal skills.