Shabab Balad
Delivering equitable access to education, employability and entrepreneurship for Egypt's young people.
How it works | Impact | Our unique approach | Partners | Get involved
Egypt has an extraordinary opportunity to take advantage of a demographic dividend. More than 28% of its population is aged 10 to 27, and nearly 39% of its workforce is aged 18 to 29.
To unlock this economic potential requires partnerships between the public and private sectors together with young people.
Shabab Balad is a powerful ecosystem of partners bringing together national leaders, government, private sector, civil society, youth, UNICEF, the United Nations, and philanthropic partners such as the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation.
How Shabab Balad works
Shabab Balad is the largest public-private-youth platform in Egypt, supporting young people through their journey from learning to livelihoods. Diverse pathways to opportunity connect young people to education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship through a single platform.
Shabab Balad works across five key areas:
1. Education – Bridging the gap between employers and the skills required by young people in Egypt, by providing education aligned with market-relevant skills.
2. Employment and entrepreneurship – connecting young people to opportunities through career guidance, job search clubs, apprenticeships and entrepreneurial support.
3. Training and skills – delivering practical and market-relevant training.
4. Digital equality – Providing young people with digital access through physical spaces where they can access quality learning and reliable connectivity.
5. Youth engagement – Amplifying youth voices through Champions and Ambassadors, whose role is to serve as a connecting point between institutions and young people. As young people are at the heart of Shabab Balad’s work, it is essential that their voices are heard and reflected across all aspects of the programme.
Shabab Balad Academy is a hybrid platform, offering both in-person and online learning and employment opportunities. It reflects the combined efforts of UNICEF, UN sister agencies, the private sector and the Government of Egypt, working together to better equip young people in Egypt (PPYP).
What makes Shabab Balad unique?
- Strong national and international partnerships drive Shabab Balad. The platform is co-chaired by national leaders and supported by UNICEF, the United Nations, and major philanthropic partners such as the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation.
- Shabab Balad offers dynamic and diverse pathways to opportunities in education, training, employment and entrepreneurship.
- Shabab Balad is integrated and comprehensive. It unites government, private sector, civic society and youth partners while offering both a physical headquarters, the Shabab Balad Academy, and a national digital platform.
Partner with Shabab Balad
Get involved
Shabab Balad would like to hear from anyone who can:
- Provide internships, mentoring or employment opportunities
- Offer curated content for training and certification
- Provide technical support to improve the digital platform
- Offer funding to scale the programme
- Provide solutions to close the digital divide and expand young people's access to digital tools and platforms
For more details, contact [email protected].
