Empowering women in rural Egypt

In many rural communities across Egypt, women face limited access to economic opportunities. Young women, in particular, often encounter barriers to participation in public life and lack resources to develop sustainable businesses.

Through EOSD’s funding cycle, 16 women-led NGOs received technical and financial support. They were trained in business development, project management, and digital marketing. With these skills, they launched cooperative ventures in fields such as handicrafts, agriculture, and food production.

Understanding the journey: how careful planning, collaboration, and monitoring shaped this project’s success.

Every impactful project starts with an idea, often rooted in the challenges and aspirations of the communities it aims to serve. In this case, the journey began when an NGO identified a pressing need among young women in rural Egypt, who faced limited access to economic opportunities and few platforms to make their voices heard. The organisation prepared a concept note during EOSD’s second funding cycle, outlining a vision for empowering these women through skills training and cooperative business development.

Their proposal went through initial screenings and evaluations, where it was recognised as both innovative and aligned with the Project’s goals of inclusion and social participation. Following constructive feedback from advisors, the proposal was refined and selected for funding. This marked the beginning of a collaborative effort between the civil society organisation, EOSD advisors, and community stakeholders to design a project capable of delivering long-lasting change.