For several years, Egyptian youth has been trying to turn their towering ambitions and dreams into real actions, leaving a tangible impact in their country. The word ‘empowerment’ was like a dream for those young people who constitute around 60 per cent of Egypt’s total population.
Over the past seven years, the Egyptian state has made strides in youth empowerment to help youth thrive in tomorrow’s future in light of the presidential directives that give this file a top priority. When youth are “empowered,” they have the skills, critical awareness, and opportunities to positively impact their own lives and the lives of other individuals, organisations, and communities.
On the occasion of World Youth Day, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi renewed his confidence in Egyptian youth along with their enthusiasm and determination, considering them ‘half of the present and all of the future; and with their hands, our precious homeland writes an exceptional history of work, construction, and advancement’.
Now, thanks to the numerous presidential initiatives and programmes targeting youth empowerment, we can say that Egyptian youth has managed to change the landscape of diverse sectors with their genuine zeal and broad vision towards the future. In this topic, the Egyptian Mail, the weekly edition of The Egyptian Gazette is giving a chance to some influential youth leaders to speak their minds, explaining how youth empowerment programmes have helped them reach their full potential.
Active Engagement in development projects
Actually, Egyptian youth have been given a chance to actively participate in the implementation of presidential initiatives. The Decent Life presidential initiative is crystal-clear evidence with many youth volunteers and coordinators. In general, the Decent Life initiative is the largest development project in Egypt’s modern history, that ensures a new, bright era for rural Egypt.
Gebreel Feteih, a youth leader and General Coordinator of Decent Life initiative in South Sinai, told the Egyptian Mail that South Sinai youth are very enthusiastic to participate in the initiative and the number of youth volunteers is increasing. “Decent life initiative is making the best use of youth energies and their ideas. All countries that rely on youth achieve real development since they are the driving force for any country,” Feteih said.
“What is really amazing is that the current presidential initiatives and programmes include youth from all governorates including border ones. “Now, Youth in border governorates like South Sinai are not neglected. On personal level, I was surprised when I was honoured by President Sisi in Decent Life conference. A massive wave of joy and happiness swept the governorate. I consider this an honour for all people in South Sinai not only for me,” he said enthusiastically.
It is worth mentioning that Feteih is also South Sinai Assistant Governor, which reflects the keenness of political leadership to assign leading positions to youth in governorates and ministries. “As young leader and assistant governor, I consider myself a link between the governor and the citizen in all files related to education, services and development. State cannot do everything on its own. There should be effective participation from civil society and youth. Such co-operation can help decision makers optimally achieve the desired targets,” he said.
“ I would like to thank young people in South Sinai who co-operate with us to develop it within the framework of sustainable development goals,” he added.
Feteih said that the dreams of young people in South Sinai started to come true. “For instance, we, as youth, were aspiring to have even a single university in South Sinai. Now, we have three universities on its lands”.
Enriching political life by youth
Egyptian Youth has managed to make strides, positively changing the political landscape through their active engagement and remarkable representation in the house of deputies and the Senate.
Member of Senate Mohamed el-Sebaee told the Mail that Egypt has unique experience in empowering youth. According to Senator el-Sebaee, announcing 2016 as year of Egyptian youth was a turning point in the file of youth empowerment, adding that this step has been followed by holding numerous national and world youth conferences to listen to youth, turning their ideas and recommendations into real actions.
“Now, Egyptian youth are actively present in many executive and legislative positions. Youth empowerment mechanisms also included the launch of The Presidential Programme to Qualify Youth for Leadership and the establishment of National Academy for Youth Training and Qualification,” he remarked.
El-Sebaee, who is also a senior member of Coordination’s Committee of Parties’ Youth Leaders and Politicians (CPYP), stressed that CPYP experience is a striking example of incorporating diverse ideologies under one umbrella. CPYP played a vital role in enriching political life in the country by dealing with diverse issues from unique and adequate and implementing ‘policy with a new concept’ in word and deed. This proves that youth are the real driving for the country’s development.
Meanwhile, Senator el-Sebaee highlighted the paramount importance of qualifying youth for such leading positions. “All these steps prove that the political leadership has a genuine will to empower youth,” he said.
More youth entities to see light
The political leadership also realises the importance of meeting the human development requirements of youth cadres in all sectors of the country and upgrading their capabilities and skills through youth entities that help them hone their skills. Recently, New Republic Youth Federation has been launched during the first conference of Decent Life initiative.
Heba Asem, a member of PLP and NRYF, told the Mail that the federation seeks to unify all youth efforts under one umbrella to promote awareness of national and community work besides preparing national youth cadres and providing them with practical, social and political experiences. IT also aims to provide more opportunities for public work and promote a culture of volunteer work and active participation.
“What makes this federation unique and different is that it includes all youth who benefited from the state’s youth programmes along with influential youth leaders who are active in society. This reflects that the state is investing in youth through such unprecedented federations and programmes,”she added.
On personal level, Asem said that PLP was a milestone in her career journey as it helped her to turn her passion for African affairs into real action as she was a coordinator for the events related to Africa. “ PLP played a vital role in harnessing my skills . In 2019, for instance, I was selected as the best African Youth leader in the field of youth empowerment as I was representing Egypt and North Africa,” she added.
Asem, who is also a researcher in African affairs, said that the state is also keen on building the capacities of African youth through diverse programmes like the African Presidential Leadership Programme (APLP). Now, three batches have graduated from the programme. “Many graduates of this programme launched effective initiatives in their countries and many started to engage in political life,” she said.
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