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  • September 2021 (Revised February 2022)
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Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt

By: Brian Trelstad and Alpana Thapar
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:28
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Abstract

Founded in 2001 by the Sawiris family, one of the wealthiest families in Egypt, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) invested in human capital and provision of basic social services for the most marginalized Egyptians. In 2015, Noura Selim’s (MBA 2013) arrival triggered a series of changes related to the Foundation’s direct-grantmaking efforts, how SFSD evaluated the success of its programs, and the number and nature of partnerships it had with development finance institutions, the private sector, and the government. By June 2021, under Selim’s leadership, SFSD achieved success across several fronts. Selim nevertheless felt that the Foundation still had a long way to go in terms of fulfilling its goal to elevate Egypt’s education system. Comprised predominantly of public schools, the system delivered low quality education, and resulted in poor learning outcomes, which translated into high youth unemployment. She was in the process of crystalizing SFSD’s five-year strategy and wondered how she should balance the allocation of the Foundation’s time and financial resources to drive as much change in the education sector as possible.

Keywords

Sustainable Development; Social Enterprise; Education; Social Issues; Partners and Partnerships; Growth and Development Strategy; Education Industry; Egypt

Citation

Trelstad, Brian, and Alpana Thapar. "Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt." Harvard Business School Case 322-023, September 2021. (Revised February 2022.)
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About The Author

Brian L. Trelstad

General Management
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Related Work

    • March 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt

    By: Brian Trelstad and Alpana Thapar
    • September 2021 (Revised February 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt

    By: Brian Trelstad and Alpana Thapar
Related Work
  • Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt By: Brian Trelstad and Alpana Thapar
  • Sawiris Foundation: Elevating Education in Egypt By: Brian Trelstad and Alpana Thapar
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