The window is closing to join this year’s Yousriya Loza-Sawaris Scholarship Program (YLSS). The deadline to submit an application is October 17. If you think you may qualify (see requirements), don’t wait to get started.
One question we regularly receive is what career opportunities exist in “development practice,” the field you will study if selected for YLSS. There are many. YLSS alumni not only fight poverty and injustice but they become leaders, the analytical “brains” of their organizations.
Below are a few examples of what YLSS alumni have done and are doing today:
Mohamed Fouad
Mohamed Fouad is from Luxor and completed YLSS study in 2018. Today he is Deputy Executive Director of the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID), an initiative empowering disadvantaged women and youth in Upper Egypt through sustainable job creation. Mohamed leads the regional team in conducting ENID’s main activities along with such activities as supervising the work of consultants and technical specialists and evaluating project-related studies and documentation. Mohamed is also the Founder of the Bea’ty 2030 (My Environment 2030) Foundation, which tackles environmental issues in Egypt.
Nayera Adly Husseiny
Nayera completed YLSS study in 2019 and worked her way up within the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD). Starting as an Education and Scholarship Programs Assistant prior to YLSS, she became a Learning and Strategy Programs Officer, then Senior Officer. This May, Nayera became Policy Manager in the education team at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) , a global research center that works to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is backed by scientific evidence.
Ahmed El-Sheikh
Since completing YLSS study in 2019, Ahmed El-Sheikh has become Associate Consultant at the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Cairo office. Ahmed helps design and implement large-scale organizational change projects for many clients, including NGOs and in the public sector. Some of his responsibilities include managing workstreams, planning and facilitating workshops, and translating research conclusions into recommendations.
Sara Zaghloul
Sara Zaghloul, who completed study through YLSS in 2020, has already had the opportunity to explore several different career environments. For six months she worked as Project Manager with Ertekaa, a company that works on enhancement of integrated services and waste recycling. She then moved to work primarily on projects co-funded by SDFD and ALEXBANK’s sustainability initiatives. In this role she assessed partnership requests and managed development projects including planning, monitoring, and evaluation with partners. Recently Sara became Sustainability and Promotion Officer at the Embassy of Sweden in Egypt.
Esraa Medhat
Esraa Medhat, who completed her study through YLSS in 2020, works as a Sustainability Researcher at Chemonics Egypt Consultants, a franchise of Chemonics International. She researches sustainable solutions and technological alternatives within the Egyptian context for issues such as water supply and sanitation, water resources management, and wastewater & storm water management. Her research serves clients like UNIDO and International Finance Corporation World Bank. Prior to joining Chemonics Egypt, Esraa worked as a Development Coordinator at Association for the Protection of the Environment.
Yasmine Hisham
Following her completion of study with YLSS in 2020, Yasmine became a Program Specialist with Cultiv, a company that invests in startups and capacity building, creates innovation spaces, and runs national and regional competitions, networking events, and educational programs. In March 2021, she moved to her current position as Development Officer with the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation, which works to offer world-class cardiac health services to underprivileged children and others in need free of charge. Yasmine got promoted to a Business Development Analyst at MYF, currently she is the only data analyst in the Cairo office, trying to integrate her data analysis experience with her solid background in the nonprofit sector to help MYF with its fundraising strategy.
These are just a few example of paths taken; YLSS will increase your options. Start applying today or contact Newton Education Services with any questions.