Life Foundation selects Five Partnering Community-based Associations within the framework of the implementation of Arzak Project

Within the framework of the implementation of Project “economic empowerment of female ex-prisoners through mobile commerce vehicles” which is funded by The European Union – under The European Aid Agreement

No. /157187/DD/ACT/EG

ENI/2017/9

Overall Objective: Support community-based initiatives aiming at economic and social empowerment of Women

Life Foundation will hold collaboration Protocols with five partner community-based associations in target governorates.

Under Arzak Project, which aiming at promote local initiatives to de-stigmatizing and facilitating the reintegration of female ex-prisoners in their communities.

In addition, build the administrative, vocational, and personal capacities of 100 female ex-prisoners to operate, equip, and own 20 mobile commerce vehicles.

Build the capacities of 5 community-based organizations to design and implement awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns, targeting 3,750 individuals in their communities.

The activities of the project will implement in the following areas:

• ElHeseneya (ElZagazig) and ElQatoya (Abu Hammad), in the Governorate of EL-Sharqia
• ElQom ElAhmar (Shebeen ElQanatar) and Kafr ElArbaeen (Benha), in the Governorate of El-Qalyubia
• Menya Sendoub (ElMansoura) and Elma’sara (Belkas) in the Governorate of El-Dakahlia
• ElGa’ef (Etay Elbaroud) and Ezbet Tamoos (Damanhour) in the Governorate of El-Beheira
• Zawyet Abdelkader (ElAmareya) and Zawyet ElKabaneya (ElGomrok) in the Governorate of Alexandria

As a part of Life Foundation’s efforts to select five Community-based Organizations, Life Foundation started receiving applications for selecting the organizations from 21 June 2018 to 1 August 2018, and it forms a committee to monitor the criteria on 2 August 2018, this committee comprised: A number of consultants, and monitoring and evaluation Officer Dr. Rania Fayad.

Where 42 Community-Based Associations and Foundations have applied for collaboration from the target governorates as follows:

10 Associations from the Governorate of EL-Sharqia.

13 Associations from the Governorate of El-Qalyubia.

7 Associations from the Governorate of El-Dakahlia.

9 Associations from the Governorate of Alexandria.

3 Associations from the Governorate of El-Beheira.

The associations were evaluated according to a set of criteria developed by the committee that included:

1. The association should have the willingness to cooperate and provide the documents required by Life Foundation.
2. The association should have an effective role in civil society and should present its previous activities and the major projects implemented by it.
3. The association has cooperated with international bodies previously, has held agreements with other Community-based Foundations, and has no financial problems.
4. Possess the proper governmental registration to implement community initiatives.
5. The association should have experience in working to empower women economically and implemented projects targeting women and rehabilitation and integration of prisoners.
6. Provide information for the last three years on budget of the association.

Through these partnerships, financial support will provide for the partnering CBOs equivalent to about 3.000 euros at Egyptian Pound exchange rate. The partnering CBOs will implement activities under cooperative protocols.

The partnering CBOs should submit the financial documents for spending on activities in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting standards that life Foundation will train them on. The main activities are the implementation of awareness raising and advocacy initiatives on rehabilitation and community integration into the targeted geographic areas, holding many seminars in the targeted governorates and other tasks that will be mentioned in the agreement between the parties.

The partnering CBOs will implement the following activities in cooperation with Life Foundation:

• Design and implement awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns, targeting 3,750 individuals in their communities.
• Increase and strengthen the understanding and community linkage of 100 governmental officials of the reintegration and rehabilitation status of female ex-prisoners.
• Develop 5 local networks comprised of local state and non-state actors in the targeted governorates to support and provide services to female ex-prisoners to support and empower them socially and sign cooperative protocols with those parties.
• Submit the final recommendations of the project according to awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns with Public and Governmental officials.

The following associations have been selected based on the criteria mentioned above.

Names of the selected associations:

Mansheyet El Nasr Mosque Charitable Association – Alexandria Governorate

Elsafir Elmasry Association – El-Qalyubia Governorate

Shabab ElSharqia Association for Development – ElSharqia Governorate

Beladi Association – El-Dakahlia Governorate

Eshraket Amal Association – El-Beheira Governorate

Cooperative Protocols will be signed with the Partnering Associations in October 2018.