Young Women's Leadership Project, Egypt

The aims

Helping young women gain confidence and professional skills, and providing them with internship opportunities.

The story

Barclays Egypt supports the Young Women’s Leadership Project – a programme designed to help women aged between 18 and 25 realise their career potential.

The objective is to help 1,800 candidates gain the confidence and skills they need to enter employment. Underprivileged university graduates who meet the criteria of showing ambition and commitment receive training in areas from computer literacy to women’s rights and gender equality issues.

Barclays volunteers act as mentors for the young women taking part in the programme, speaking at motivational lectures, offering one-to-one career counselling and sharing their advice and expertise.

Through a curriculum including career days, educational excursions and interaction, the candidates enjoy being part of a valuable training programme which legitimises social activity away from the home.

The company has invested EGP 1m (£99,300) in the project, and pledges to provide 100 internship opportunities for the top performers who complete the programme.

Results to date

Computers have been installed at seven community resource centres, which now host regular sessions for young women. The programme has also won support from public and private sector partners and currently operates in the districts of Cairo, Minya and Beni Suef.