Japan Offers Financial Grant to Improve Preschool Education in Egypt

On September 21, NOKE Masaki, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, witnessed the opening of new preschool classrooms at two schools in Imbaba, Giza, together with their upgraded toilets and schoolyards.

This project was executed by Takatof Association for Development, using Japan’s grassroot grants of about US$90,000. It benefits 280 infants and their teachers and parents by establishing a new preschool section at Madinat El Omaal School and opening one additional preschool classroom at Omar Makram School.

This project is also expected to be useful for COVID-19 prevention through the improvement of the hygienic environment.

The ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Neveen Al-Qabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Reda Hegazy, Deputy Minister of Education for Teachers' Affairs, Ms. Hend Abd El-Halim, Deputy Governor for Community Affairs and Environmental Development, and Dr. Hossam Badrawi, Chairman of Takatof Association for Development.

This is the third example of collaboration between the Embassy of Japan and Takatof Association for Development, after the school projects in Beni Suef in 2016 and Giza in 2018.

At the ceremony, Ambassador NOKE commended the valuable role played by Egyptian civil society organizations such as Takatof Association. Stressing that this project is another example of the “Egypt-Japan Education Partnership” announced in 2016 during the visit by H.E. President El Sisi to Japan, he vowed to continue cooperation in the education sector based on the principle of human security, leaving no one behind.

The Minister of Social Solidarity, Deputy Minister of Education and Deputy Governor of Giza also expressed their appreciation for Takatof and the Japanese government’s initiatives to enhance the quality of education in Egypt and acknowledged that the government and civil society should work together for the development of the country.

Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects provides direct financial support to non-profitable organizations including NGOs in such fields as health, social welfare, education, environment, vocational training and empowerment of women. Under this scheme, Japan has extended about US$9.8 million in Egypt since 1994, supporting 173 projects