25,926 km²

Population: 3,500,000
Districts and communes: 11 districts, 52 local units, 235 small villages, 971 tiny villages
Sponsored children: n/a
Number of Plan staff working in the unit: 14
Number of volunteers: 22

Plan Egypt targets the poorest areas in Assiut according to Human Development Index (HDI) as Balayzah (Abo-Teg District), Arab El Madanegh (Slum community), Beni Rafaa (Manflout District) and El Mandara (manflout District). The majority of these villages lie just east and west of Assiut, located in-between the bank of the Nile River and the desert. Plan works with children, families, community members, NGOs, INGOs in cooperation with governmental departments as MOSS, MOE, MOH and youth and sports centers. Plan Egypt is currently preparing to begin sponsorship within the next few months with 300 sponsor children by the end of this fiscal year.

Program highlights

Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR): Starting steps took place by conducting 3 workshops with organizations working for children with disabilities in Assiut as Terre des Hommes and Handicapped International. The local interventions for the program will be implemented in Assiut communities by January 2010 through partnerships with NGOs and INGOs for the rehabilitation, opportunities equalization and social inclusion of all children.

Networking and partnerships

Plan participate in the creation of different networks in Upper Egypt with various partners as the UNICEF, Save the children US, Terres des Hommes, Handicapped International and Assiut Childhood & Development Association (ACDA). These networks aim to coordinate different activities and interventions related to child protection in Assiut.

Women / girls empowerment and harmful traditions practices

To enable Women/girls participation to state their rights and receive equal opportunities for their development as equal citizens. The main components of this program are Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Life skills and Literacy campaigns, Early Child Development (ECD) and Elimination of Domestic Violence. The program is currently working in 4 communities and will be having a 5th community by January 2010 in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organizations and local departments of the different ministries as MOH, MOSS and MOE.

Child Protection

Plan Assiut adopts a participatory approach which aims at addressing long term development for disadvantaged children and their families and raising awareness on Child rights, as well as empowering marginalized sectors within communities as children and women.