Be2aty: My Environment

ongoing

Three EU and three Egyptian partners (5 NGOs, 1 SME) from different sectors are joining forces to build the capacity of Egyptian youth to tackle local environmental problems, while at the same time increasing the sector’s capacity to support them. Be2aty works with 300 young people (YP) aged 15-25 years old, plus 20 young adults trained as facilitators, and is implemented in 4 to 6 disadvantaged communities in Cairo and in rural areas. Be2aty helps YP discover their particular interests, skills and talents, which they further develop by devising and implementing a self-directed project to improve the situation with respect to an environmental problem they have identified in their community. Each partner draws on its own network and mobilizes it to assemble resources (know-how, organizational, opportunities, tools) to support YP to implement their projects. The resources are directed at empowering youth by putting them at the center of a hands-on learning experience in a process that lets them determine the pace and the direction of their environmental action. Our proven arts-based methodology results in young people becoming more aware of their potential, gaining in self-confidence, developing critical-thinking and life skills, while rehearsing their professional skills to eventually be attractive to employers. Youth NGOs will also grow stronger by acquiring new tools and widening their network to become more effective and resilient, which will allow them to branch out in related sectors and have a deeper impact within the communities they serve. In the long-term, we will see increased eco-awareness in the disadvantaged communities we serve. Residents will make the connection between personal action and repercussions in society and the environment. This will raise awareness among community leaders on the topic of waste management and related environmental issues. We will cultivate engagement in young people who will develop into more democratically active citizen.