Misr Life Insurance and Nidaa Partner to Empower Women by Reviving Traditional Crafts

The Egyptian Foundation for Integrated Development "Nidaa" and Misr Life Insurance Company have signed a new cooperation protocol. This agreement aims to support a project focused on reviving the "Al-Nawl Al-Makhraz" (French Loom) industry and developing traditional and manual crafts. This is part of a joint effort to economically empower women and provide sustainable job opportunities, especially in Upper Egypt governorates and the most in-need areas.

A Partnership to Develop Heritage Crafts and Economically Empower Women

This collaboration comes at a time when there's a growing trend to link community development programs with productive activities. The protocol specifically focuses on transforming traditional crafts from low-return activities into sustainable economic projects through training, production, and marketing. This approach helps create added value for the families who benefit. The project aims to revive the French Loom as a unique Egyptian heritage craft. It will do this by training women in hand-weaving skills and supporting the production of marketable products for the local market. Additionally, a portion of these products will be purchased to ensure continuous production and boost the project's economic viability. In this regard, Mostafa El Qammash, Managing Director and CEO of Misr Life Insurance Company, stated that the company places social responsibility among its strategic priorities. He emphasized their commitment to supporting initiatives that achieve sustainable developmental impact. He also noted that this collaboration with the "Nidaa" foundation is a great example of an effective partnership between the private sector and civil society in supporting women's economic empowerment.

Turning Handicrafts into a Sustainable Income Source

For his part, Dr. Walid Borieka, Executive Director of the Egyptian Foundation for Integrated Development "Nidaa," clarified that the project isn't just about training. It also extends to empowering beneficiaries with actual production tools and marketing skills, ensuring sustainable income and transforming handicrafts into a stable economic source. He pointed out that the foundation has extensive experience in supporting handicrafts. Through this collaboration, they aim to develop the French Loom industry to meet modern market demands while preserving its traditional character. Similarly, Nevin Adel, Head of Marketing at Misr Life Insurance Company, affirmed that the project aims to revive one of Egypt's promising crafts. It focuses on creating direct job opportunities for women and boosting their participation in the local economy, thereby supporting economic empowerment plans. Dina El Beltagy, Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager at the foundation, also explained that this initiative reflects Nidaa's vision to transform heritage crafts into competitive economic projects. This is achieved by combining the development of production and marketing skills, giving women broader opportunities to access markets and achieve economic independence. This collaboration reflects a broader trend towards integrating economic development with community empowerment. It does so through partnerships between private sector institutions and civil society organizations, aiming to support the most in-need groups and transform heritage crafts into sustainable production tools.