HANDS works hard to give people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) the opportunity to develop their socio-economic status. Our job is made a lot easier when we reach those who find it imperative to help others, too.
Nour is one of those people.
After participating in one of HANDS’ job-skills training programs, Employment through Technology and Innovation (ETI), in the Minya province of Egypt, Nour learned valuable marketable skills to help herself find employment. Youth unemployment is a serious issue across the MENA region, especially in her home of Egypt. Nour would not stop until other young people in her community had access to the same training she received.

Nour, addressing a room of trainees
 
A part of the ETI program, leaders are required to recruit and train at least 120 other affected young people in their community. Nour stood on the edge of the Corniche with a dozen colorful balloons and signed up unemployed youth right there beside the water to take part in the same job-skills program she just graduated from.
But so filled with passion was Nour that she could not stop there. Along with her husband, Mohamed – whom she met during her ETI program – Nour started her own non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to training Egyptian youth with the proper skills it takes to find employment.
Nour and Mohamed’s NGO is completely youth-led, with the entire staff being under the age of 30. Even if their ETI experience is over, Nour and Mohamed continues the work of training unemployed youth through their NGO.
The success of HANDS’ development projects has a lot to do with the inspirational change-makers that are uncovered throughout the MENA region. We are proud to foster learning environments that promote kindness and compassion.
HANDS would like to thank its supporters for being a part of programs like Employment through Technology and Innovation that help young people find meaningful work and impact the community around them.