Interview: Makram Reveals Future Goals of NACDW

In her visit to Aboul Enein Foundation for Cultural and Social Work, Ambassador Nabila Makram was not only the Executive Director and Head of the Technical Secretariat of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work (NACDW) , but she was a mother, sister, and friend who looked at each beneficiary with a very special look, listening to her, knowing her story, and thinking with her.

Ambassador Al-Nabila visited the Abu Al-Enein Foundation for Cultural and Social Work, which is a founding member of the Civil Alliance for National and Development Work. 

Ambassador Nabila Makram talked about all the important issues in the Alliance, especially the latest initiative launched by the Alliance, the "One Hand" Initiative, which targets one and a half million people across the Republic.

The executive director of the Alliance spoke about the health file, the education and social care file, the initiatives that the Alliance plans to launch, the Gaza aid convoys, and what the Alliance has done during the past two years.

●What is the alliance's philosophy?

First, I would like to talk about the alliance, after President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared the year 2022 to be the year of civil society and civil society organizations and called for the formation of the National Alliance for Civil Development work (NACDW) civil institutions and associations responded to what the political leadership called for and participated in society service and development to be the executive arms in society on the ground, and more than 36 civil society organizations joined the Alliance, signing together to work collectively and to exchange experiences and work with a joint effort and a unified database.

-Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees was formed when 36 associations and institutions gathered upon the call of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for the General Assembly of the Alliance to meet and select the Board of Trustees. The elections took place among the 36 associations, so the 21 members of the Board of Trustees represent 36 associations and institutions, and 4 members were appointed by Mr. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

-Database

●What Are the Most Important Achivements of the Alliance So far? 

Since the establishment of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work in 2022, with the presence of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Alliance has consistently supported the state's efforts in development for the most needy families. Many initiatives have been launched, such as "Ezraa," "Satr," "Aafiya," "Farah Qalbi," "Katif Fi Katif," and many others, which have built trust in the Alliance and its seriousness in siding with the most deserving families, in cooperation with civil society organizations.

However, the most significant achievement of the Alliance has been the unification of the database of the most needy families.

-One Hand Initiative

●What are the objectives of the newly launched ‘One Hand’ initiative, and what progress has been made so far?

The "One Hand" initiative, which launched just a few days ago, has already made significant progress. In my view, it's the largest initiative undertaken by the Alliance for several reasons. 

First, its scale—covering all 27 governorates. Second, it is the largest initiative in terms of the number of participating institutions, with the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Red Crescent, and the Decent Life Foundation joining us. The sheer number of organizations working on this initiative has allowed us to see the "One Hand" initiative in a different light and to witness a positive image that enables citizens to benefit directly from these initiatives. 

The goal of the "One Hand" campaign is to reach 1.5 million of the most needy families. Therefore, we are facing a massive event in terms of what it offers, the number of participants, and the number of governorates it covers—27 in total.

-Three Main Focuses

●What are the key issues that the alliance has addressed, and what are the future priorities?

We are talking about community service and the development of many issues and various axes.

It's an opportunity to first thank everyone involved in the work that the alliance has executed over the past years. Now, we have three main focuses: education, health, and entrepreneurship. We have started to create workshops with representatives of these organizations, and it's essential to have a database for these workshops.

-Jusoor Initiative 

●What is your vision for the education sector, and what are the Alliance contributions to this area?

The education sector is vast, encompassing educational buildings, technical education, classrooms, overcrowding, curricula, and the involvement of families and parents. It is a complex and multifaceted issue. Of course, we wish the new Minister of Education all the best. However, the coalition's role in education is relatively new, and it participated in the launch of the Jusoor Initiative, which was initiated by the "Education First" foundation in collaboration with civil society organizations working in the field of education. 

Through this initiative, we discuss ways to develop the education system in Egypt, focusing particularly on technical and technological education, which has become a global trend. Egypt is adopting this type of education to keep pace with industrial and technological advancements worldwide, with initial implementation starting in Ismailia.

Work has already begun in Ismailia on developing educational systems in cooperation with the Governor of Ismailia. Additionally, the coalition will soon launch several initiatives related to the education sector.

●What is your vision as the Executive Director of the coalition for the health sector?

We have organizations working in the medical field and have met with the Healthcare Authority as a coalition. We will soon have meetings with the Minister of Health and members of parliament to develop a cooperation plan between us. This will allow us to launch joint initiatives that serve citizens in both the education and health sectors, which are priorities for the political leadership. These are fundamental areas, and civil society and non-governmental organizations have a crucial role to play in these sectors.

-Institutional Independence

●For the first time, we have a database of the most deserving families in Egypt, a significant achievement by the National Alliance for Civil Development Work. What is the roadmap for the coalition in the coming period?

We cannot work alone; we need to engage in collective work. This means that in the collaborative workshops, regarding the database, we gather data from institutions while respecting each institution's independence and confidentiality of information. 

We collect numbers to identify beneficiaries and their selection criteria, and we utilize the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.

-Reaching the Citizen

●Regarding collaboration with institutions, what is the nature of the joint efforts between the Alliance and various organizations?

The National Alliance for Civil Development Work aims to reach citizens to deliver projects and initiatives related to education, health, entrepreneurship, and building a database.

We prioritize the credibility of the services we provide to Egyptian society. As an independent entity, we coordinate with civil society organizations and the government. Engaging with institutions in real-world efforts is crucial; it’s not just a paperwork relationship but one of practical participation. We collaborate on the ground, as seen with the launch of the "One Hand" campaign.

I express my gratitude to all the institutions supporting the Alliance, and I am very pleased and proud to visit the Abu Al-Ainain Charity Foundation today, seeing the tremendous work of volunteers and projects for women in need.

My goal is to benefit from the experiences of the women beneficiaries whose projects have transformed them from recipients to producers. Yesterday, I was with "Sinaa Al-Kheir" in Gharbia, and the institutions have started responding to our calls. 

All the secretariats of the alliance are sending invitations for field participation. The truth is that when I go to the ground, I see genuine work, effort, and service being provided, and I feel the dedication in the eyes of those providing the services.

●What is the alliance's plan for this year, and are there any other initiatives?

Yes, we have initiatives in several areas including health, education, and economic empowerment. All of this is part of the "One Hand" initiative, where we can utilize the resources of institutions from central to rural areas to serve the citizens. We extend special thanks to the Ministries of Development and Social Solidarity for their cooperation with us and our organization to ensure that the service reaches every deserving individual. We always strive to keep the citizens informed about the National Alliance, so they are aware of their rights and the services provided by our institutions.

-Gaza convoys

●Over the past two years, civil society has made significant efforts for the Egyptian people and has extended its support to our relatives in Palestine. It has provided numerous aid convoys and established links at the borders, reaching our people in the besieged Gaza Strip, which is suffering from a genocidal war. How do you view these services?

The projects presented by the Alliance have led to the creation of a legal entity that brings together the largest institutions for civil work in Egypt. Our stance towards our people in Palestine and Gaza is filled with positive points, particularly the volunteers who endured many hardships to deliver this aid. 

This scene encapsulates the regional dimension of the Alliance and the message it sends regarding aid to the most vulnerable Egyptians and our brothers in Gaza. 

We have many associations and institutions; the Union plays its role, and the institutions also perform their roles. However, it was important to coordinate between these associations to assist the Egyptian state in all its efforts, both domestically and abroad.

Finally, I reiterate the importance of bringing these institutions under one umbrella to exchange expertise and activate and expand services. I also emphasize the independence of the associations within the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, as the Alliance does not interfere in their private affairs whatsoever.