Engy El-Yamani: Traditional Crafts Drive Economic Empowerment

Engineer Engy El-Yamani, Executive Director of the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund, stressed that traditional and heritage handicrafts represent one of the most important paths toward sustainable economic development in rural Egypt. These crafts create genuine employment opportunities, preserve cultural identity, and strengthen local production.

She made the remarks during her participation in a workshop titled “Handicrafts as a Sustainable Economic Opportunity,” organized by the Ministry of Local Development and Environment in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, with the participation of experts and stakeholders in economic development and traditional crafts.

El-Yamani reviewed the vision of the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund and its economic empowerment mechanisms for small and micro enterprises. She emphasized that the success of such projects depends not only on product quality but also on an integrated system that includes market research, appropriate financing, training and capacity building, marketing, and linking producers to value chains to ensure sustainability and growth.

She also explained that the Strategic Financial System for Economic Empowerment, led by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, serves as a comprehensive framework for shifting from assistance-based support to productive empowerment. The system integrates technology, financial and non-financial services, information infrastructure, and institutional partnerships to provide effective development and financing solutions for target groups.

El-Yamani noted that the system offers a wide range of services, including microfinance, employment programs, local and international marketing, digital marketing, microinsurance, productive asset programs, and digital savings and lending tools. These services help artisans and small business owners expand their access to markets and improve their competitiveness.

She further emphasized that the Rural and Environmental Industries Support Fund acts as a developmental arm of the Ministry of Social Solidarity across all Egyptian governorates. Its efforts focus on supporting rural and heritage industries, empowering women and youth, expanding green economy initiatives, and connecting local products with markets, all in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt Vision 2030.