Our Partner - AUEED

Partnerships are key components of our approach. They are founded on the basic principles of solidarity, mutual respect, transparency and responsibilities.
For us, a partnership is a relationship of reciprocity that evolves over time, through the pursuit of common objectives where can leverage our funding and management efficiency.
Discover our local partner, the Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (AUEED).

History

In 1940, father Henry Ayrout, an Egyptian Jesuit who had studied the life and customs of peasants' communities of Upper Egypt, believed that school could be a focal point for community development where children get their education, values and learn to actively participate in the development of their local communities. He founded AUEED to build free schools for the poor of this region .

• In 1964, the management of the Association was transferred from the Jesuits to secular after the expansion of the Association's development activities.
• In 1967, it was registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs as a public utility organization.
• In 1990, During the eighties and nineties, the Association evolved to become AUEED (Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development) and gradually established regional offices in Menya, Assiut and Sohag governorates in addition to Luxor city. Today, AUEED is one of the oldest and most important Egyptian NGO. Currently, AUEED owns and operates 35 primary schools and 3 preparatory schools and employs over 1,100 people in Egypt.

Today, Egypt is a large country of over 80 million people. It is separated in two main regions: Lower and Upper Egypt.  The Upper-Egypt's population is essentially poor.  Its resources come primarily from agricultural activities, tourism, and small manufacturing activities.  Despite a certain improvement during these past few years, only 63.6% of the population of Upper Egypt is literate.  The country's demographic growth is one of the fastest in the world.

Mission

AUEED is a community based non-profit, secular, non-partisan and non-governmental organization (NGO) working in Upper Egypt to empower local communities; targeting the poorest of the poor through education and development programs with a special focus on children, women and youth.  We work through dialogue, respect and love and in solidarity with our partners in the community.

Its goal is always to promote activities centered on education (schools) and community development.

Fields of activity

Formal Education and Elimination of Illiteracy

AUEED owns and manages 35 elementary and 3 preparatory schools currently with an enrollment of more than 10,400 Christians and Muslims boys and girls.  Scholarships allow students from modest families, most of which living in poverty, to access this reputable high quality level education. AUEED recently extended education to cover the preparatory stage in a number of schools.

It manage a non-formal schooling program known as the "Parallel School". This four year program targets children (9-15) who never joined a school, those who dropped out of school, or those who joined schools but can't read or write.

Adult illiteracy (15+) rates in governorates like Menya, Assiut and Sohag vary from 39.5% to 43%. Since the 80s, AUEED has supported governmental efforts to end illiteracy through implementing a literacy program. The program's curriculum "Learn, be Free" is based on the pedagogical philosophy of Paolo Feire and it currently serves around 1089 learners in 28 community centers governorates, 90 % of which are women.

Social and economic development

In 2001, AUEED started to provide small loans to community members  through one million EGP (200,000 $CAN) from the Egyptian Swiss Development Fund. By August 31st, 2008, a total of 14 000 small loans with a value of 57 million EGP (7 million $CAN) had been given to 9500 clients, 30% of which are women.

AUEED also intervenes towards realizing socio-economic development mainly through 65 social centers dedicated to the development of life skills needed to further social change and improve the quality of life for those living in these communities. This takes place through education related to health, environment, culture and economic development and gender mainstreaming.

For example, vocational training is held in Akhmim to help women acquire skills in carpet weaving and embroidery and in Hegaza to help young men acquire carpentry and furniture manufacturing know-how. These skills are aimed at improving their economic living conditions and that of their families. These centers help market the  products through the organization of sales and exhibitions to the students' benefit.

AUEED supports the government and local community efforts to reduce mortality rates among pregnant women and infants (0-2 years) through the Mother and Child Health Care Program (MCH). Pregnant women and infants come to the 24 MCH centers for regular check-up. The centers also work on raising the awareness of pregnant women and lactating mothers about health issues that enable them to take good care of their health and that of their babies.

The school's health program works on improving students' health condition by offering healthy nutritive meals to children suffering from malnutrition and the need to observe good personal hygiene practices. In addition, students receive treatments for anemia, intestinal worms and eyes infections. Moreover, awareness sessions are held with the parents.

Annual revenues and expenditures

AUEED’s annual revenues for the year which ended August 31, 2010 were 32,1 millions EGP (5,5 millions $US). Of this total, more than 14 millions EGP (2,4 millions $US) were from foreign donors. These revenues were sufficient to cover AUEED’S total operating expenditures which totaled 26,3 millions EGP (4,6 millions $US), resulting in a surplus of 5,9 EGP (1 millions $US). 

It is managed by a Board of directors composed of 11 members, of which 3 are women. It currently employs 1100 people including a teaching staff of 750 people.

AUEED is facing a huge increase in the schools? education cost due to Egypt's President's decision to increase the teachers' basic salary by 50% in addition to raise the salaries of all employees by 30%. According to the preliminary estimations, this will add around 2 million Egyptian Pounds to the direct education cost in AUEED schools (around 23% more) and a new accreditation procedure with its 35 schools, which puts a huge technical and financial burden on the Association during the coming years. The Association's major challenge is to ensure its long term viability, by seeking new public and private sources of funds and by executing projects that will self generate new sources of revenues.

AUEED head office is located in Cairo, Egypt.