Development of Upper Egypt Trust (DUET)
Location: Southern (Upper) Egypt Background In Egypt, there is a large gap between the rich and the poor, and between the living conditions in cities and those in rural areas. A lot of development aid has been spent on urban projects, and living conditions in the cities, especially Cairo, have been greatly improved. In contrast, development in the countryside has been largely overlooked. The Development of Upper Egypt Trust (DUET) was founded to help lessen this unbalanced growth between urban and rural areas. DUET supports the development of entire villages through projects that benefit a range of individuals, from children to the elderly. Working closely with village leaders, DUET helps to create a development programme that focuses on social and economic conditions, with an emphasis on educational, agricultural and medical support. The village leaders are the initiators, coming up with ideas, leading the projects and continuing with them beyond DUET’s involvement. The part DUET plays is that of facilitator: preparing project information to meet the required international standards; seeking funds that are not locally available; and liaising with others outside the local area for ideas and relevant experience.
Beni Khalil In 2003, BibleLands began working with DUET in Beni Khalil, providing a comprehensive plan to break through this vicious circle of desperate poverty and to increase the standard of living for all the members of the village community. The development programme, which was conceived by the village leaders and prepared in close co-operation with all of the villagers, is being carried out over a four-year period. This is not intended to be a ‘quick-fix’ programme, but is aimed at providing long-term benefit in five main areas. Primary Health Care: Women run the households and look after the children, so primary family health care programmes are designed specifically for them. Subjects include nutrition, dealing with household insects and basic family hygiene. A mobile clinic regularly visits the village to teach women about birth control, care during pregnancy and early childhood, caring for sick children and how to follow the doctors’ instructions. First aid courses are taught and screening programmes are held regularly to check people for parasitic diseases. Infra-structure and Environmental Health: Many of the houses are built of mud and straw and cracks in the walls allow snakes and harmful insects to infest the houses. Dishes and clothes are washed in the same river that children swim in, that animals are washed in and where waste water is disposed of. Part of the development plan is to connect houses to clean water and electricity, to provide sanitation and to give the villagers health-training sessions that raise awareness of hygiene issues. Education: High levels of illiteracy, especially among the women, have created a need for literacy classes. This will help them to become more independent and enable villagers to have easier access to information. Income Generation: Limited job opportunities and little fertile farmland have resulted in many people, mostly men and the young, leaving for the cities to find work. Women are left behind to raise the children on their own, usually without an income. The villagers desperately want to stay together as a community and develop local work opportunities but, until now, grinding poverty and lack of funds have made this impossible. However, a small loans programme has now begun to create job opportunities, enabling farmers to buy cows to breed, raise chickens for eggs, buy goats for milk or start small shops to sell basic goods that have previously had to be sourced from miles away, if at all. Agricultural and Veterinary Training: The land has been farmed in the same way for thousands of years and many farmers are now being greatly helped by new and more effective methods. They are also taught basic skills in how to treat their animals when they get sick. As the village community is almost entirely dependent on farming for their livelihood, these issues are very important. This development programme offers a comprehensive approach, aimed at improving and sustaining the quality of life for all the individuals and families with this entire village. Through this programme, the 750 inhabitants of Beni Khalil will no longer have to struggle, day by day, to cope with life. They will be able to bring about the changes that are needed for the village to move forward and improve their personal, family and community living conditions. |
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 Gemila is delighted to have running water in her home, the first house in the village to receive it. |
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