Cairo, Egypt (August 2, 2011) – Barclays, one of the world’s leading financial institutions, is partnering with the Near East Foundation (NEF) and the Center for Development Services (CDS) to improve the lives of families in Egypt by creating job opportunities for women.
Through its “Doubling the Good” campaign, which translates as “Khali El Kheir Kheirein” in Arabic, Barclays will donate a portion of their credit card transaction fees during the month of Ramadan to the project fund.
Support from Barclays will provide immediate economic relief to 30 families in El Miniya, Egypt by training women in manufacturing, a traditional industry in the area. The project will help impoverished women gain access to the workforce – access that has historically been difficult for them to obtain – through trainings in job and management skills, microfinance, and marketing assistance.
The ultimate goal is for participating women to launch their own businesses manufacturing school uniforms. A portion of the uniforms they produce will be provided free of charge to children in the El Miniya community who cannot afford to buy them but are required by law to wear uniforms in order to attend school.
The project will have lasting impact by establishing the manufacturing workshop, building skills and management capacity among participating women, and giving them the unprecedented opportunity to be self-employed as co-owners of a business.
“Doubling the Good” is a win-win initiative that supports poor families by providing them with an opportunity to generate short- and long-term income, and also gives less fortunate children the joy of going to school in a brand new uniform.
This is the latest in a series of collaborations between Barclays, NEF, and CDS that have successfully improved conditions for women and children in impoverished communities throughout Egypt.
###
The Near East Foundation is a U.S.-based international development NGO leading innovative social and economic change in the Middle East and Africa. Founded in 1915, NEF has worked to empower citizens in disadvantaged, vulnerable communities for almost 100 years. NEF field staff – all of them from the countries in which they work – partner with local organizations to find grassroots solutions to their development challenges. Our “knowledge, voice, and enterprise” approach is helping build more prosperous, inclusive communities throughout the region. To learn more visit www.neareast.org.
With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 145,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide. To learn more, visit www.barclays.com.eg.
The Center for Development Services is an employee-owned development entrepreneurial venture that uses innovative approaches to mobilize technical and financial support for development endeavors in Egypt and the Middle East. To learn more, visit www.cds-mena.org.
