Active Citizenship Engagement (Ace) as a Framework for Integration of Cross-Cutting Themes
The Ace Strategy of the Cairo Economic Livelihoods Program (CELP)
The story was told by a group from the Cairo Economic Livelihoods Program (CELP), a CIDA-funded project implemented by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
The group presented their experience on how they used the ACE Entry Points: Civic Responsibility, Civic Partnerships and Civic Engagement to develop a framework for integrating all four CIDA Cross-cutting Themes (Child Right, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability and Active Citizenship Engagement for Good Governance) into their work. They explained how, in the beginning, the concepts of the Strategy seemed somewhat complex but after receiving coaching and working with other CIDA projects, they became a logical tool to use in achieving their goals and framing their activities.
“We did not invent something new to integrate ACE in our work; we were already implementing ACE but in a non-organized or documented manner.” Ahmed Saeed
The story began with a quick introduction about Agakan Development Network (AKDN) in Egypt by Ms. Amira Aboulkheir, Senior Program Manager, AKF, Al Azhar Park and the Darb Al Ahmar area. The presentation included the expected outcomes of CELP, CIDA’s Cross-cutting Themes and the process of formulating CELP’s Strategy based on CIDA’s ACE for Good Governance Strategy.
Mr. Ahmed Saeed, the Vocational Training Manager, CDC, spoke about the Business Development Services (BDS) component at First Micro Finance (FMF). He focused on vocational training, one of four components in the economic sector that provides training to all residents of Darb Al Ahmar.
Mr. Saeed gave the example of Om Bassem, the first Egyptian woman plumber and a special “success story” that is well-known in CELP’s vocational training sector. “Om Bassem came up to me in one of our training and said she had heard that we give schooling on electricity and electrical fixtures in houses.
I said, “We do.” “Can I attend?” She asked. I was a bit curious and asked her why she wanted to participate in such training. “I go to houses to fix plumbing problems. You see, when the woman of the house is alone in the morning, she does not let men in – so, they ask for me. Sometimes, I find something wrong with the electricity that I can’t fix, and I get very upset! This is why I thought that it would be a good idea to provide women with vocational home maintenance training such as electrical appliances and carpentry besides plumbing, of course.”
“We were able to spread awareness and make people feel the value of their demands, the value of their right to request and get what is rightfully theirs.” Ahmed Saeed
Mr. Saeed said that this incident made the project realize that they succeeded in awareness-raising about people knowing and asking for their rights, and that their flexible community cooperation activities yielded fruits. CELP now has a number of training programs, designed with NGOs, for women and children. They believe that cooperation with NGOs brings the most benefit to society. “It’s all about knowing what is your right and when you know that, you will be able to ask the right person for it.” “Cooperation is citizenship, if people do not cooperate, citizenship will not exist. If each person goes down their separate path, there will be no citizenship. If CIDA had not brought EEDP and CELP to the coaching training with CEOSS, there would not have been cooperation or networking between the two projects.
Networking is essential for citizenship. When we think together we can become active participants in our communities and country.” Mr. Ahmed Abdou, Civil Society Program Manager, AKF, talked about best choices for sustaining initiatives. “We always think of sustainability and look for institutions in Darb Al Ahmar that can carry on the work”. There are around 62 institutions in Darb Al Ahmar including NGOs, cooperatives, cultural centers, etc. Most of these institutions are charity driven and are involved in traditional activities.
The project chose eight NGOs in the civic domain to work with in implementing different activities based on community needs, and to change their approach from a purely charitable to a development-based approach. CELP started by building the capacities of these NGOs and giving them training on strategic planning, financial management, sustainability and social marketing. The project also focused on resource mobilization in order that NGOs rely on themselves and their communities for funding. Now, some of these NGOs have income generating activities. Besides NGOs, CELP works with the People’s Assembly, the private sector, the Governorate and the Local Municipal Unit.
“We work with people in their own kitchen!” Ahmed Abdou
Ms. Gehan Aly, Employment Manager, CDC, discussed how, by using the ACE Strategy as a framework, CELP tackled the issue of child labor and women’s rights. Their approach was not to take children out of their workshops, but rather to make their work environment safe and supportive.
As for women, one hundred individuals in the community were trained on how to have self confidence, negotiate and ask for their rights particularly with respect to appropriate salary scales. In addition, CELP has a recruitment and guidance program to assist youth in having a sense of ownership in planning for their career and in making decisions that affect their future.
Ms. Passent Nosseir, Crafts Manager, CDC, talked about the different crafts in Darb Al Ahmar and the project’s focus on building trust and integrating ACE guiding principles in all activities including product development, upgrading designing skills, packaging, pricing, branding and linking the different workshops with market opportunities. CELP also supported artisans to attend exhibitions and trade fairs. Mr. Ahmed Abdou, on behalf of the BDS Manager, described how CELP’s BDS component integrated the ACE Entry Points.
An example under the first Entry Point of Active Citizenship and Civic Responsibility was a lending system that ensures transparency and participation of women. Other areas of focus included creating effective channels of communication between the owners of small and medium enterprises and government entities, as well as signing contractual partnerships to ensure access of beneficiaries to non-financial services.