In partnership with the Cairo-based Tarek Waly Center and Environmental Quality International, the Institute has begun working on a Needs Assessment and Activity Design Study in four unplanned, informal areas in the Cairo and Giza Governorates of Egypt. The study will identify and propose interventions to be financed by the Agence Française du Développement (AFD), managed by the Social Fund for Development (SFD) and implemented through local authorities and NGOs.
The team’s approach is to work closely with the Giza and Cairo Governorates and community-based organizations to develop practical upgrading strategies that can have a significant impact on improving the quality of public spaces and services available to residents. Additionally, there is a strong focus on providing credit and business support to micro enterprises and small businesses within the four communities to stimulate employment opportunities and drive local economic development.
The social and economic diversity and different development patterns that exists among these four large settlements reflects the issues faced by other informal settlements in the Greater Cairo Region. The opportunities for improvement that will be identified through the study can provide an inventory of potential interventions for other unplanned settlements. This will include maximizing access to credit and business support, as well as building the capacity of local communities, micro-finance institutions (MFIs), and local authorities to shape the implementation of the program, monitor progress, and make adjustments using evidence-based monitoring approaches.
Learn more about the project here.