Under the patronage of Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy, President of Assiut University, the Center for Monitoring and Studying Community Problems, in cooperation with the Civil Society Support Center in the Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs Sector, and with the participation of the National Council for Women Assiut Branch, and the Small and Micro Enterprises Development Authority in Assiut, organized the activities of training workshops and the second annual exhibition entitled: "Rural Women and Achieving Economic Empowerment", under the slogan: "Productive Rural Women is the Key to the Success of Society". This came under the supervision of professor Mohamed Adawy, Vice President for Community Service and Development Affairs. Ministry of Environment, in coordination with Dr. Marwa Mamdouh Kadwani, Rapporteur of the National Council for Women, Assiut Branch, and Member of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Ehab Abdel Hamid, Chairman of the Assiut Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority.
Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy stressed that the organization of these events reflects the university's commitment to supporting and empowering rural women, and opening real horizons for them to participate effectively in economic activity, pointing out that developing the skills of women in the villages and the most needy areas represents an important step towards achieving balanced and sustainable development.
The President of the University added that the university seeks, through these training and applied programs, to transform simple ideas into actionable, productive projects, thereby enhancing opportunities to improve the standard of living and supporting the state's efforts to empower women and strengthen their role as a key partner in development.
The activities were held under the supervision of Dr. Ali Kamal Mabad, Director of the Center for Monitoring and Studying Community Problems, Dr. Abdullah Faisal, Director of the Civil Society Support Center, and Dr. Asmaa Gaber Mahran, Deputy Director of the Center for Monitoring and Studying Community Problems, in the presence of Dr. Ali Abdel Rahim, Head of the Dairy Department and Director of the Dairy and Dairy Products Unit at the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Sayed Shehata, Head of the Department of Decoration at the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Ghada Abdel Aal, Head of the Individual Service Department at the Faculty of Social Work, and Mr. Mohamed Farag, Director of the Office of Misr El Kheir Foundation. in Assiut, in addition to a group of faculty members, their assistants, university employees, members of the National Council for Women, Assiut Branch, and a crowd of women from the villages and centers of Assiut Governorate.
In his speech, Professor Mohamed Ahmed Adawy explained that the program aims to enhance the economic empowerment of rural women by presenting successful models of productive projects, in addition to spreading awareness of the importance of women's role in supporting the national economy, and providing practical training on the implementation of small projects. He stressed that these events come within the framework of the sector's strategy to expand the scope of cooperation with the authorities concerned with women's issues, through training and rehabilitation programs that contribute to supporting their economic and social capabilities, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
For her part, Dr. Marwa Kadwany stressed that the economic empowerment of rural women is one of the main pillars to achieve comprehensive development, pointing out the keenness of the National Council for Women to provide technical and training support to women, especially in the most needy villages, to help them achieve a sustainable income. She added that the cooperation with Assiut University and the Enterprise Development Authority represents a successful model of institutional integration, and contributes to spreading the culture of self-employment and encouraging the establishment of small enterprises, stressing that Egyptian rural women have the potential to qualify them to be an active partner in development.
In the same context, Mr. Ehab Abdel Hamid explained that the SMEDA pays great attention to supporting women, especially in rural areas, by providing soft financing programs, training and consulting services that help them establish and manage their projects efficiently, in a way that contributes to improving the standard of living and providing job opportunities within the local community.
Dr. Ali Kamal Mabad pointed out that the program included the implementation of a number of specialized training workshops, which aimed to train four groups of women in a range of home crafts, which contribute to creating job opportunities and improving the level of income. These trades included: manufacturing dairy products, handicrafts and art, preservation, manufacturing and packaging of food products, and the manufacture of children's toys, through training provided by a group of faculty members at the faculties of agriculture, specific education, and early childhood education.
He added that the exhibition accompanying the events included a variety of products, including clothes, bags, accessories, furnishings, and handicrafts, in addition to dairy products and agricultural products, and educational games for children, with the participation of projects affiliated with the Faculties of Agriculture and Education for Early Childhood, the National Council for Women, and projects funded by the Small and Micro Enterprises Development Authority in Assiut.
Dr. Asmaa Gaber Mahran pointed out that the Egyptian state pays great attention to women's empowerment, believing in their vital role in achieving development, especially rural women, who represent a fundamental pillar in society. She explained that this forum embodies the importance of investing in human beings, and opens horizons for communication and exchange of experiences between concerned authorities and project owners, in a way that supports building effective partnerships that contribute to enhancing the success of rural women.
