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Movement
for Empowerment Interchange and Solidarity
M.A.I.S.
is an Italian non-governmental organisation (NGO)
working in
the field of International Cooperation. It was
founded in Turin in 1990 and is recognised by both the Italian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the
European Union.
It is a member of the Italian NGO Association and COCIS
(Federation of Laic NGOs).
M.A.I.S.
projects focus on promoting social and economic democracy in
developing countries in cooperation with international and local
institutions and organizations.
M.A.I.S.
ensures sustainability to its projects by using a participatory
approach to development. Its main target beneficiaries are small
producers, craftsmen, women and children. Most activities are
capacity-building oriented, and meant to promote the enhancement
of local
resources.
The
working methodology is based on an exchange of practical
knowledge, both inside the target countries and between
developed and developing countries.
M.A.I.S.
operates in:
Latin America:
Africa:
Asia:
Fields
of Intervention
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Sustainable rural development:
supporting, developing and marketing agricultural production.
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Education:
supporting education for children and adolescents.
-
Community Development:
developing community based organizations and delivering
primary services (water-sanitation, schools, natural
medicine…).
-
Gender: promoting human rights and protecting women against
violence with a special focus on Female Genital Mutilation.
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Micro-credit: promoting women’s social and economic
empowerment through micro-credit loan programs.
Activities in Italy:
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‘Education on Development’:
awareness raising activities carried out through seminars,
conferences, and exhibitions.
M.A.I.S. In Egypt
 As
an NGO working under the framework of the Italian Cooperation,
M.A.I.S. began its activities in Egypt in March 2000, following
the Mediterranean Development Fund conference held in Cairo by
the World Bank. In this occasion, representatives of M.A.I.S.
started to create linkages with the Poverty Alleviation Program
which at that time was implemented by the Italian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Giza and El Minya. As a result, under
suggestions from the Egyptian Ministry of Social Affairs,
decisions have been taken to operate in the Governorate of Sohag
because of its lack of development and assistance programs
targeting early childhood and motherhood. For this reason,
M.A.I.S. established a partnership with the local NGO WAHI
(Women Association for Health Improvement), which was chosen
among other associations due to its long experience and fruitful
activities in this field of development.
Advancing Women Rights:
Promoting Attitudes against Gender-Based Violence through the
Strengthening of the Capacities of Civil Society Organizations
M.A.I.S.
is now continuing its mission in Egypt by implementing the
Advancing Women Rights project in the Governorate of
Sohag, which coincides with other successful experiences in
prior projects.
This
two-year project, beginning from May 2007, targets nine villages
situated in the districts of Sohag, Akhmim, Saqulta, Johaina,
Tahta, El Maragha.
Out of the
five governorates in Upper Egypt, Sohag stands out because of
its severe economic distress, having 36% of families living
under the poverty line, as reported in 1997 by the United
Nations Development Program.
Advancing Women Rights
project aims to overcome these constraints by changing popular
attitudes and beliefs about three main demonstrative forms of
violence: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), traditional
conceptions of marriage (such as endogamy and early marriage),
and domestic violence.
-
 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM):
In Egypt,
despite being outlawed in 1997 by ministerial decree, FGM was
been practiced on about 97.3.% of Egyptian women in 2000 during
their reproductive age, as reported in a statistic held by AIDOS
and published in its manual “Mainstreaming the Fight Against FGM/C”.
This compares with previous available data which shows an
increment of .3% in 1995 (97%).
In
addition, the most recent (2005) Egyptian Demographic Health
indictors show that in rural Upper Egypt the percentage is still
reaching 98%.
A
traditional concept of marriage can be a marriage between
relatives or an early marriage. According to research conducted
by the Population Reference Bureau in 2005, 10 % of Egyptian
Women between 15 and 19 years of age are married, while 20% of
them are married to a first cousin. Data regarding fertility
rates are even more telling. As reported by the United Nations
Found for Population in 2006, the percentage of women who were
19 years old and were parents or pregnant with their first child
was 22.7%.
Domestic
violence can be expressed by wife battering or crimes in
the name of honor, which are mostly due to the notion of
reputation being strictly linked to a girl’s virginity.
As indicated by the 2006 UNFPA statistics, the proportion
of women that have experienced physical violence from their
husband was 33.2% in 2005, whereas 17.5% of women reported to
experience emotional violence.
Taking
into consideration this data, the success of the present
initiative depends on the involvement of the widest range of
participants in the project, namely the whole community (from
children to adults, and males and females), along with
educators, social and health workers, religious leaders,
community leaders, local authorities; as well as professionals,
such as lawyers, doctors, and teachers.
In
addition, grass-root organizations also play an important role,
as they implement most of the activities and are responsible for
its early results. In this regard, a crucial role is played by
the Specific Union of Women, which is composed of a
network of 15 organizations active in the districts of Tema,
Maragha and Tahta, in cooperation with WAHI.
 Activities
and Main Outcomes
1. Village Profile (base-line study)
This
research aimed to describe the current situation in each
village; identified community trends, social habits and
practices; analyzed the local attitude towards different forms
of violence; and assessed community leaders and other
influential actors who most likely can produce positive changes.
The research was carried out in nine villages in the
Governorate of Sohag. Focus groups discussions were organized
involving 360 men, women and young people, along with 73
community leaders. 658 semi-organized interviews were carried
out with a total of 1090 people in the nine villages covered by
the study.
2.
Capacity Development Training on Violence against Women
Concepts.
The
Capacity Development program aimed to improve the
institutional capacities of the organizations belonging to the
network in the fields of advocacy, gender equity, general
management and internal governance.
Mid-Term
Outcomes:
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20 types
of trainings implemented, addressing each group of stakeholders
(educators, social and health workers, religious leaders,
community leaders, and local authorities, lawyers, doctors, and
teachers);
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61 days
of training;
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475
participants.
3.
Advocacy
Key social
actors have been involved in a series of seminars and workshops,
alongside unconventional forms of training, such as theatrical
workshops and plays, which have been carried out with children.
The seminars have taken place on a local level, and have
addressed all target villages.
Mid-Term
Outcomes:
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10.060 (6.258 men and 3.806 women)
participated in awareness seminars.
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1.463 students from
Secondary and High Schools involved.
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186 seminars
implemented with the students
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School competition
were organized to reward the children's artworks.
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a New Year Calendar,
displaying the children's drawings, to be distributed among
all stakeholders
At the
present time, a media campaign is being carried out in all local
and some national newspapers. This will be followed by
documentaries and commercials broadcasted on national and local
radio and TV networks in the immediate future.
4. Support
services
In
compliance with the baseline study results, medical,
psychological and legal support is now being provided to all
villages.
Mid-Term
Outcomes:
Legal
support services
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60
beneficiaries have applied for the legal counselling from
October 2007 to January 2008.
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18 cases
ended and solved.
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35 cases
waiting for final judgment.
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7 cases
have been given legal consultancy inside the CDA
itself, without appealing to the Court.
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600 new
ID issued up to March 2008.
Medical
support services
Future objectives:
At the end
of the first project year, 600 IDs will have been issued and 300
seminars will be delivered throughout the villages of the
project involving further members from each target group.
At a later
stage of the project implementation, at least five social clubs
will be created, where the women will be free to perform
everyday activities, such as cooking or sewing, and will have
the opportunity to socialize.
After the
completion of the scheduled activities, a last phase will be
dedicated to evaluating and communicating the project’s
achievements. To assess the impact of the project at the
community level, the same questionnaire used for the base-line
study will be redistributed in the evaluation phase, in order to
produce comparative data.
A public
event will take place in order to present the results of the
whole project, along with a presentation of the publication of
the beneficiaries’ stories.
Key Prior Projects
 Italian
Community Development Project (ICDP) in the Governorate of Sohag
DONOR: The
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
DURATION
OF THE PROJECT: 3 years (2002-2005).
MAIN
OBJECTIVE: to develop community services to empower women and
educate children in the Governorate of Sohag.
Through 10
Community Development Associations (CDA), and with our Partner
NGO, WAHI Women Association for Health Improvement, ICDP has
implemented:
-
AN
AWARENESS PROGRAM FOR LOCAL WOMEN. 640 rural women have been
involved in Human Rights, Health, Nutrition, Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) seminars.
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A
MICRO-CREDIT PROGRAM. More than 729 women have benefited by
receiving micro-credit loans. Through these loans, local women
have been able to establish small husbandry, handcrafts and
commercial businesses.
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A
MOTHER-CHILD SUPPORT PROGRAM. More than 775 children are
attending 11 ICDP Kindergarten Schools. ICDP has provided
educational materials and modern teaching training.
Improving Living Conditions
of Low-Income Families Governorate of Sohag
DONOR: The
Italian Egyptian Debt for Development Swap Program.
DURATION
OF THE PROJECT: 2 years (2004-2006).
MAIN
OBJECTIVE: to improve education and future employment
opportunities for children and local young adults in Sohag.
Through 10
CDA’s (Community Development Association), and with our Partner
NGO, WAHI, this project achieved these results:
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LITERACY
COURSES: 587 Children, from 8 to 18 years, had access to
Informal Educational Services.
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COMPUTER
TRAINING COURSES: 355 Children, from 14 to 18 years, had
gained Computer Skills.
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VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES: 1000 Children, from 14 to 18
years, gained Vocational Skills such as sewing, carpentry, art
crafts, plumbing, electricity.
Social Clubs in the
Governorate of Sohag
DONOR: German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Egyptian Ministry of
Planning.
DURATION OF THE PROJECT: 6 months (2004)
MAIN
OBJECTIVE: to create a Cultural Center and a Social Club (Picnic
area, gardens, a play-ground for children, a small library and a
coffee shop) in the rural village of Hawawish in the District of
Akhmim.
This
project aimed to promote social relationships and community
participation, especially for families and youth.
Improving the Quality of Life
and Working Conditions for Children and Families in Old Cairo,
the Tanneries
Area
DONOR:
The Italian Egyptian Debt for Development Swap Program.
Duration
of the Project: 2 years (2004-2006).
MAIN
OBJECTIVE: to improve the working conditions and living
conditions of local children involved in hazardous working
environments.
With our
Partner NGO ASSDA, Abu El Soud Association, the project has
achieved these results:
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LITERACY
COURSES: 545 Children and 193 adults have access to Informal
educational services.
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VOCATONAL and COMPUTER TRAINING COURSES: 766 children and 286
adults have gained vocational skills.
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BASIC
HEALTH SERVICES: 1,334 Children and their families received
health care services and nutritional supplements.
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HEALTH
AWARENESS PROGRAM: 671 women have been involved in health,
nutrition, hygiene, reproductive health, first aid and bird
flew seminars.
Promotion of Information and Communication Technology in Sohag
Governorate
DONOR: Egyptian Trust Fund- UNDP- Egyptian Ministry of
Information Communication Technology -
The
Italian Egyptian Debt for Development Swap Program.
DURATION: 10 Months.
GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To promote ICT access and encourage
the use of
ICT to individuals with special need
in remote, rural areas of Sohag Governorate which is
characterized by computer scarcity and has difficult access to
IT services.
SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVE: Creating the necessary conditions to provide computer
facilities and training courses within local Community
Development Associations in the villages. The project is
targeted toward the poorest and most deprived strata of the
community and is particularly targeted toward young people so to
enhance their employment opportunities.
CONTACT INFO:
MAIS
HEADQUARTERS in ITALY
Via Saluzzo, 23
10125 Torino - Italy
Tel.: 0039 011 657972
info@mais.to.it
MAIS SOHAG
58, Sharia El Gomhorreya (Beside Nadi El Bahri)
SOHAG
EGYPT
Tel.: 093 2315142
mais.sohag@gmail.com
MAIS CAIRO
2, Taha Hussein Str.
7th floor, apt. 5
Zamalek - Cairo
Egypt
mais@tedata.net.eg |
