Raghda el-Ebrashi is pioneering a new approach to community development in a poor and marginalized neighborhood in Cairo in an attempt to break traditional dependency on charitable giving. What began as a network of student-run clubs at Egyptian universities grew into a local community organization in Old Cairo with the support and enthusiasm of a young cadre of volunteers invested in the idea of sustainable community development.
Al-Ashanek ya Balady Association for Sustainable Development (AYB-SD) was founded by Raghda in 2005 to offer a sustainable and replicable model for community development that contributes to poverty alleviation through economic, cultural, and social support. Programs and services focus on developing both technical and soft skills for marginalized community members (women, girls, children, and young people), cultural and health awareness workshops, and a micro-loan program that helps families graduate from the cycle of poverty.
Ultimately, these programs empower the community to take charge of their development by providing vocational training to create employment opportunities, microloans to encourage the growth of small businesses, and handicraft production to provide income for women.
At present, AYB-SD reaches over two thousand low-income community members in Cairo. AYB-SD has three social business subsidiaries that generate income to ensure the sustainability of the organization, and is staffed by student volunteers who are the lifeblood of the organization.
In 2009, AYB-SD launched innovative programs to serve more disadvantaged communities throughout Egypt and to involve more students in strategic-development projects, moving away from the traditional model of charity work. Through the new Franchise System, Egyptian university students can open a student club franchise under the organization’s name. Five clubs are opening in Cairo and four are scheduled to open in Upper Egypt by 2010.
AYB-SD launched the first Employment Office in Egypt serving over one thousand poor youth and women in Cairo annually, providing them with training and job coaching to qualify for employment positions. To date, AYB-SD successfully expanded their Employment Office and microloans program in eight governorates throughout Egypt to serve nine major cities and reach at least four thousand more underprivileged youth and women.
In May 2009, in recognition of her pioneering work in the field of development in Egypt, Raghda was awarded the prestigious King Abdullah II Award for Youth Innovation and Achievement (KAAYIA) and was honored at the World Economic Forum in Jordan by H.E. King Abdullah II and H.E. Queen Rania.
Raghda also spoke on a panel with Synergos at the 2009 Skoll World Forum for Social Entrepreneurship. Her organization has received the Global leadership Award from Youth Action Net and the MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship.
-
Watch a video in which Raghda talks about her work.
-
Listen to an interview of Raghda conducted by the Middle East Youth Initiative.
-
Read a profile of Raghda by Charles Kaye on Clearly So’s Social Business Blog.
-
Read an article outlining the aims of Raghda's "Above the Line" campaign.
To Contact Raghda:
info@ayb-sd.org
Tel: (+202) 25287303