Arab Office for Youth and Environment

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Your Change, Your Responsibility

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Your Change, Your Responsibility

The Arab Office for Youth and Environment (AOYE) has shown significant interest in children, recognizing them as the leaders of tomorrow and the future of the nation. This commitment stems from the organization’s firm belief in the vital role children play in society. Throughout its history, AOYE has implemented numerous activities and projects targeting children.

 

Through its previous work with children, AOYE has observed that many children in impoverished and informal communities suffer from:

  • Deteriorating health, environmental, social, economic and cultural conditions which have a direct impact on their well-being.
  • Neglecting to develop children’s capacities as valuable human resources and failing to invest in them.
  • A lack of developmental activities that address children’s rights and raise their awareness, connecting these rights to their daily lives.
  • Structural and organizational problems, ranging from poor education quality to the deteriorating conditions of schools.

Overall Objective

To ensure that children in informal settlements enjoy their right to a healthy social upbringing, thereby supporting a better future for them.

Specific Objectives

  1. Establish a self-sustained developmental and educational center equipped with a specialized children’s library, computers and audiovisual resources.
  2. Conduct workshops to develop new skills for 265 previously unengaged children in Ezbet El-Nasr. The training program will focus on:
    • Building children’s innovative and creative personalities, fostering initiative, and delivering information in engaging and modern ways.
    • Introducing social principles and addressing key developmental issues in their communities, along with behavioral and psychological training that has not been previously explored.
  3. Hold meetings with a psychological consultant to address deep psychological and behavioral issues identified during the project’s first phase, such as sexual harassment, substance abuse, and exposure to violence.
  4. Implement child-led initiatives advocating for their rights in the community, including a cleaning and tree-planting campaign with children’s participation.
  5. Organize a closing event for each workshop to showcase creative outputs (e.g., theatrical and musical performances), with awards presented to outstanding participants (three from each group).
  6. Conduct seminars to raise parents’ awareness of children’s rights and guide them on how to positively influence their children’s behavior without physical or emotional harm.
  7. Provide training on “Effective Communication and Behavior Management for Children,” aimed at building the capacities of school staff, community associations, and youth centers in Ezbet El-Nasr.
  8. Establish a hotline offering technical support and psychological consultations for the families of participating children.

Implementation Site

Ezbet El-Nasr, El-Basateen District, Cairo

Partners

  • Arab Office for Youth and Environment (AOYE)
  • Diakonia Organization
  • Targeted group from Ezbet El-Nasr

Funds

Diakonia

Project Duration

The project was implemented in two phases: from mid-2014 to the end of the year, and the second phase concluded by the end of 2015.

Outcomes

  • Increased participation of children in workshops, with positive feedback from both children and their families. Additional requests for enrollment were received after just one week of workshop implementation due to the children’s positive experiences.
  • Empowerment of participating children to understand their rights and responsibilities, particularly concerning social and developmental challenges in their communities, such as violence and exploitation.
  • Preparing a comprehensive list summarizing the developmental problems faced and identified by children in informal settlements, such as deteriorating educational systems, environmental degradation, violence, child labor and substance abuse.
  • The establishment of the center and its workshops provided children with a supportive environment to address psychological and social challenges, helping them deal with past trauma.
  • Strong emotional connections formed between the children and the project team, fostering a sense of belonging that motivated them to continue adopting positive behaviors even after the workshops concluded.
  • Numerous success stories of children overcoming negative habits and behaviors were documented.
  • Consistent participation in workshops, despite the challenges posed by the start of the school year which highlights the children’s commitment to the program.
  • The center became a positive outlet for children to channel their energy through artistic and creative activities.
  • Strong partnerships and trust built between the organization and stakeholders in the targeted area, including local authorities, community development associations and youth centers.
  • A solid bridge of communication and trust established with the families of the participating children.