Transforming Mona, the importance of relevant, equitable and inclusive education

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Amal Mowafy
Regional 
Youth Employment Technical Specialist for Africa.

I first met Mona El Khodairy at a difficult moment for her.

I was attending the Egypt Entrepreneurship Summit, in Gouna, Egypt, in November 2016. On the sidelines I saw a young woman in tears, and went to comfort her. Mona was crying because her shortlisted entry for the Nawah Social Entrepreneurship Competition had failed to make the final round.

I quickly realised that the tears were of frustration. As we talked I was increasingly impressed by this young woman from Luxor and her commitment and passion for using opportunities to help both herself and her community. Continue reading

Navigating indigenous rights

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Alexius Chicham (National Project Coordinator)

It took 11 hours to make the 400 kilometre journey from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, to the remote indigenous community of the Bom, who live in the stunning terrain of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The moment I reached their village, I was struck by their unique culture and way of life as well as by the challenges they face, a long way from basic services, in an area that lacks even essential infrastructure or decent work opportunities. Continue reading

Work & child care: A struggle for men and women

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Carolina Trevisi
SCORE National Project Coordinator Colombia and Olga Orozco
SCORE Programme Manager & Regional Coordinator Latin America

Recently we learned that a friend of ours was getting divorced and that he would have sole custody of his five-year-old son. It was sad to hear that his marriage had come to an end but also encouraging that he was motivated to take on the responsibilities of a full-time single dad.

This friend, an executive of a multinational enterprise, was very concerned about how the changes in his life would influence his work. He was worried about telling his boss that he would dedicate less time to late-night meetings, cut down on travel, and be less available for last-minute events.

Continue reading