Egypt | Our Work | Save the Children International

What we do

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Egypt and around the world, we work every day to give boys and girls a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of boys and girls, including those hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis– transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children has been working in Egypt since 1982. We play a leading role in addressing the needs and rights of the most deprived boys and girls, their families and communities. Our programs are increasing access to quality education services, improving maternal, neonatal, infant and school children health and nutrition; building stronger services for children, at risk of violence and abuse, promoting child participation and protection at the personal, family and community level, and promoting safe economic, education and participation options for adolescents and youth. We are also responding to a protracted refugee crisis in Egypt, providing protections and promoting equity for vulnerable refugee and migrant communities. Our programs reached around 2 million boys and girls, and their families in 2017 alone.

Our programs promote equitable outcomes for the most deprived boys and girls. We work with them and their families from diverse communities across 20 Governorates in Egypt with programs targeting poor and marginalized children, children at risk, children with disabilities and children on the move, including refugees and migrants.

We plan our interventions together with our partners; government, international organisations, community leaders and children; we listen to children, and we ensure child safe programs. We have a zero tolerance towards the abuse and exploitation of boys and girls by any of our representatives. We are equally committed to doing everything within our power to avoid unintended harm or accidents to children as a result of any of our activities.

Humanitarian Response

Save the Children in Egypt employs an immediate response to humanitarian crises with spill-over effect into Egypt, most recently
the crises in Sudan and in Gaza. In partnership with Egyptian Authorities and wider humanitarian community, we were able to provide immediate support to affected children and families across the borders as well as to displaced families in Aswan, Greater Cairo, and Alexandria
SC was among the first organizations on the ground working in the villages of Argeen, Qostol, and Karkar near the borders with Sudan, with our local partners. Response activities focused on children’s needs at the border, on the move, and following arrival
to destination, through delivering health, child protection and MHPSS services, as well as WASH education, and cash-based interventions. Our operation in Aswan continued to grow with the increased number of refugees and we currently have 5 ongoing projects in Aswan supporting refugees and asylum seekers
SC was also one of the first international non-governmental organizations to send essential supplies to families in Gaza. Including water, food, medicine, shelter kits, and clothing items. We are also supporting Palestinian medical evacuees arriving in Egypt, including premature and new-born babies, by providing incubators and medical supplies, as well as training Egyptian medical workers. Currently, we continue to support displaced Palestinians in Egypt with cash assistance, emergency healthcare and mental health support.

(From right to left) Ali , Shahd, and Shahd drawing with Fatma, Save the Children Staff member, in an ECCD program

Education

Improve access to safe, quality, and inclusive education for marginalized children affected by inequality and discrimination
Provide remedial programs to reduce dropout rates and address learning gaps.
Offer Accelerated Education Programs to help out-of-school children return to formal or community education
Enhance the quality and safety of public and community schools through the Safe Schools and Enabling common approaches
Provide cash-for-education assistance to refugees and asylum seekers to overcome financial barriers
Empower parents with awareness to support their children's learning at home

CP1 - Photo Requirements - Children Aspiration photo 4

Health & Nutrition

Increase access to high-quality and timely healthcare services through
- Community awareness and screening
- Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services
- Menstrual health and hygiene initiatives
Collaborate with governmental health providers and local partners
Integrate with other sectors such as cash, education, child protection (CP), and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for comprehensive care
Support the implementation of government health strategies for development, humanitarian, and emergency health sectors
Improve the nutritional status of children and pregnant/breastfeeding women by:
- Promoting better infant and young child feeding practices
- Strengthening the detection, referral, and treatment of malnutrition

Child Protection

Protect children in Egypt, including refugees and migrants, from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence
Focus on prevention and response by:
- Empowering families, teachers, and communities to protect children
- Increasing knowledge and building skills to address violence and other risks
- Promoting children's safety, wellbeing, and development
Respond to children at risk, including Unaccompanied and Separated Children, by:
- Providing individual case management support
- Ensuring access to health, education, cash, legal, and psychosocial services
Collaborate with government partners to:
- Develop and implement stronger national policies and standards for child protection
- Focus on children deprived of parental care
Work with all sectors to mainstream child protection principles across interventions

Nabaa, 24, painting a wall as a part of the 'Start with Yourself' initiative of the SHIFT campaign in Mallawi, Egypt

Youth Development and Livelihood

Focus Areas ( Families' economic resilience - Youth transition to adulthood )

For Families: -

Implement a child-sensitive graduation from poverty model by:
- Providing financial literacy and saving skills.
- Establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
- Offering business and vocational skills training.
- Delivering mentorship and coaching.
- Providing start-up capital for income-generating activities.
- Including a gender awareness package to support family decision-making for both women and men.
Integrate mental health and psychosocial support to enhance family resilience
Engage communities to:-
- Address discriminatory norms
- Support adult literacy

For Youth: -

Support youth transitioning to adulthood through:
- Life Skills for Success training.
- Market-driven training opportunities to improve
- livelihood skills and employability.
- Providing access to jobs or assets for self-employment.
- Promoting socio-economic empowerment.
- Strengthening community participation and collaboration through: ( Youth-led initiatives and campaigns.Activities that help youth gain life skills and lead change in their communities )

MHPSS

Promote psychological well-being for children and their caregivers
Strengthen family and community bonds through a holistic, child-focused approach that centers on:
- Children-Caregivers and families
- The community and those responsible for children's well-being
Integrate MHPSS across multiple sectors, including:
(Education-Child protection-Health-Youth empowerment-Livelihoods)
Strengthen the capacities of government and local NGO partners to deliver services using an MHPSS approach.
Provide direct MHPSS services to children at risk, including:
- Refugees and migrants-Children with disabilities and their caregivers

Nada and Zahra building a garbage station as a part of the 'Leave a Mark' initiative of the SHIFT campaign in Mallawi, Egypt

Climate Resilience

Serves as a cross-cutting theme intersecting with multiple sectors, including:
(Education-Child protection-MHPSS-Health and nutrition-Youth empowerment and livelihoods-WASH)
In education, climate resilience involves:
- Integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies into:
* School extra-curricular activities.
* Infrastructure planning.
* Disaster preparedness programs
- Educating students about the impacts of climate change.
- Promoting sustainable practices within schools.
- Ensuring educational facilities are resilient to climate-related risks, such as extreme weather events.
Focus on building sustainable and resilient communities to withstand the challenges of a changing climate.

Gaza Response in Numbers

71,925 people reached