Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, met on Saturday with President of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) Sahar El-Sonbaty and UNICEF Representative in Egypt Natalia Winder Rossi, to discuss co-operation on empowering girls from the most vulnerable families through recycling water hyacinth into handicrafts.
The meeting focused on preparations to launch the “Ward Al-Khair” initiative for women’s empowerment in the water sector and water hyacinth recycling.
Sewilam praised the ongoing cooperation between the ministry, the NCCM, and UNICEF, noting that the Regional Training Centre for Water Resources and Irrigation has already organized several training programmes for women on recycling water hyacinth into distinctive handmade products.
He said 24 training activities have been conducted at the centre and its branches in Kafr El-Sheikh, Damietta, Damanhour, and Esna, benefiting 643 women from civil society groups. The ministry plans to continue expanding these programmes to train more women.
Sewilam added that the initiative aims to turn water hyacinth—often viewed as an environmental challenge—into a resource by recycling it into environmentally friendly products while promoting sustainable livelihoods.
For her part, El-Sonbaty stressed the NCCM’s commitment to empowering girls by providing real opportunities to build their skills and improve their economic prospects.
