Eight projects received the Sawiris Foundation awards at the Employment Projects Competition - June 2004, for presenting innovative projects which are in accordance with the Foundation’s mission.

The competition was advertised in Al Ahram newspaper on Friday June 4th 2004, calling NGOs throughout Egypt to present concept papers for projects which fulfill the Foundation’s selection criteria focusing on job creation. This resulted in 122 concept paper from NGOs working in 20 governorates.

One of the important goals of the competition was to communicate with NGOs interested in implementing projects which have for aim to provide employment opportunities for the current market requirements, increasing the total number of the Foundation funded projects. The Center for Development Services (CDS) was chosen to manage the competition process.

A joint team from the Sawiris Foundation and CDS reviewed the concept papers and ranked them according to an evaluation system especially designed for the competition. Job guarantee, quality of training, sustainability and replicability were among the important selection criteria for the winning projects. Through this rigorous process, a total of 21 projects were selected for further development.

During the months of July and August, joint teams from the Foundation and CDS carried out institutional assessments to evaluate the capacity of NGOs to implement the projects and guaranteeing job opportunities. The team also provided technical assistance to these NGOs through workshops, field visits and individual consultancies to help them design the project in its final form. In the end of September 2004, a selection Committee chose the following winning projects:

- “Management Professionals for NGOs in Alexandria Governorate”, Young Men Christian Association in Alexandria (YMCA)

- “Technicians for Ready-Made Garment Industry in Dakahliya Governorate”, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BASU)

- “Printing Technicians in Kalyobiya Governorate”, Women Association for Human Development (Hayaty)

- “Special Needs Educators in Kalyobiya Governorate”, Iskan Senaee Community Development Association (ISCDA)

- “Employment Unit in Mokattam in Cairo Governorate”, Fathet Kheir.

- “Development Practitioners in Cairo Governorate”, Institute of Cultural Affairs- Middle East and North Africa (ICA-MENA)

- “Rural Women Entrepreneurs for Dairy Produce in Minia Governorate”, Minia Businesswomen Association