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Egyptian business leaders Naguib Sawiris and Hassan Allam through the foundations they lead have sealed a four-year social impact partnership worth EGP200 million ($6.5 million), targeting poverty alleviation, education, and agriculture.
The impact partnership, co-funded by the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and the Essam & May Allam Foundation for Sustainable Development, was unveiled at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo in the presence of cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries.
Focus on Egypt’s development priorities
Under the initiative, the two family-backed foundations will roll out programs aimed at empowering vulnerable families, boosting smallholder farmers, and improving literacy.
Projects include the Bab Amal program in Minya, which seeks to support 470 extremely poor families by 2027 through financial inclusion and social protection; the Teaching at the Right Level initiative in Sohag and Assiut to help children aged 9–13 with core learning skills; and agriculture projects offering climate-smart solutions to farmers.
Sawiris said the collaboration reflects a shared belief that development in Egypt requires pooling private sector resources. “We are not merely investing in projects, but in the Egyptian people—in their education, their potential, and their future,” he said.
Hassan Allam noted that the partnership is designed to “expand opportunities for youth, farmers, and families, enabling them to build a prosperous future while preserving their dignity.”
Civil society at the center
Government officials at the launch emphasized the role of civil society in Egypt’s national development strategy.
Planning Minister Rania Al-Mashat said the partnership aligns with state priorities in education, agriculture, and community development, while French Ambassador Éric Chevallier hailed it as a model of philanthropy that bridges business competition and national cooperation.
A legacy of philanthropy
For nearly 25 years, the Sawiris Foundation has been one of Egypt’s most active philanthropic institutions, funding education, job creation, and arts programs.
The Allam family started the Essam & May Allam Foundation in memory of their late patriarch. It has been a legacy for community-led development for the past nine decades.
The Sawiris and Allam foundations are working together to show how private wealth can support Egypt's larger vision for sustainable growth, drive inclusive development, and make a bigger difference.
