Egypt’s Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, has highlighted the significant progress of the “Mashroa’ak” (Your Project) National Programme for Community, Human, and Local Development, which has facilitated the implementation of over 212,800 projects since its inception in 2015.

The programme has provided loans totalling approximately EGP 29.2bn, creating more than 1.442 million job opportunities across all governorates.

“The ‘Mashroa’ak’ program is steadily advancing and achieving significant success in driving community development in villages, neighbourhoods, cities, and districts, while also providing genuine job opportunities and promoting sustainable and comprehensive development throughout the country,” said Awad.

Minister Awad stressed that the programme aligns with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directive to address unemployment through innovative solutions that support community, human, and economic development, creating added value for projects across all governorates.

The initiative, which is not limited to young people, is open to all age groups for establishing small and medium-sized projects in agricultural, industrial, service, commercial, marketing, and freelance sectors, as well as livestock activities.“We recognize the significant role that small enterprises play in job creation and economic development, often evolving into medium and large-scale businesses,” said Awad.

Minister Awad affirmed her full support for the “Mashroa’ak” program in the coming phase, aiming to make it a driving force for comprehensive development nationwide.

This will be done in coordination with the six participating banks – Banque Misr, the National Bank of Egypt, the Agricultural Bank of Egypt, Banque du Caire, the Bank of Alexandria, and the Housing and Development Bank – to ensure the provision of necessary funding for approved projects.

The ministry grants temporary, free licences to approved projects, allowing them to commence operations immediately upon receiving their loans.

There is no fixed ceiling for funding under the “Mashroa’ak” initiative, with micro-projects for women heads of households and youth starting from as little as EGP 1,000 up to EGP 150,000. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can receive funding starting from EGP 150,000 without a maximum limit, depending on the nature of the activity and bank approval.

The “Mashroa’ak” initiative offers three main tracks for project implementation: Existing projects seeking expansion, supported by feasibility studies; repetitive model projects, such as handicrafts that align with the resources of each governorate, with several feasibility studies available; and new and innovative project ideas.

Minister Awad outlined the required documentation for micro-projects: a copy of the lease or ownership contract, the national ID of the applicant and guarantors, a utility bill, and a letter from the local unit where the project is located.

For small projects exceeding EGP 150,000, the required documents include a copy of the tax card or a certificate confirming the opening of a tax file, a copy of the commercial register, a letter from social insurance confirming the opening of a file for the enterprise and the owner’s insurance, and a copy of the partnership contract if applicable.

Medium-sized projects require additional documentation, including the last three financial statements, a recent financial position, and a feasibility study, in addition to the documents mentioned for smaller projects.

The initiative has 260 offices across all governorates to receive applications. Each office includes representatives from local administration, participating banks, and relevant licensing authorities, offering all necessary facilities and support for applicants seeking loans to start small and medium-sized projects.

These offices also provide technical and administrative training to help participants maximise the benefits of the program, particularly through feasibility studies and temporary licences until permanent licences are issued.

Minister Awad praised the efforts of the “Mashroa’ak” program’s management at the ministry in monitoring projects with the program’s directors in the governorates.

The team prepares monthly reports on work progress, coordinates with national banks involved in the program, updates the project’s website daily, tracks the entry of loan applicants’ data into the information system, and monitors the banks’ activities. Additionally, they work to resolve any obstacles facing borrowers and ensure that the program’s objectives are met across all governorates.

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