USAID Egyptian Pioneer FY2024/Q1 Progress Report

The Activity will achieve this purpose through three key components: domestic and international scholarships and training activities, training and scholarship opportunities for mid-career non-Government of Egypt (GOE) Egyptians, and undergraduate scholarships for young Egyptians from underserved and marginalized populations. The Activity's three main Results are designed to elevate sectors critical to Egypt's economic growth. Result 1 focuses on building individual knowledge and skills to improve organizational capacity and performance of GOE activities. Result 2 targets training and scholarship opportunities for mid-career non-GOE Egyptians to achieve goals in defined priority sectors. Result 3 aims to provide undergraduate scholarships to 700 young Egyptians from underserved and marginalized populations to study and obtain degrees in priority sectors. During the FY2024/Q1 reporting period, significant progress was made across the project's three main Results. The hiring process for project staff has been completed, with key positions filled, including Senior Manager for Public-Private Sectors Engagement, AUC and non-academic Component Manager, Finance and Administration Officer, and Senior MEL Officer. Coordination meetings have been initiated with service providers to discuss contractual, technical, and implementation aspects of the project. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing meetings and events have taken place with sister activities, such as USAID Scholars Activity and University Centers for Career Development (UCCD), to benefit from their experiences, particularly in the areas of women's empowerment and career advancement for undergraduate scholars. The USAID Egyptian Pioneers Activity also collaborated with the Women's Economic and Social Empowerment Program (WESEP) to deliver the "Financial Literacy and Elimination of Violence against Women" webinar. Regarding Results 1 and 2, the proposed fields and study themes for Cohort I were determined based on insights obtained from the Expression of Interest (EOI) forms received from both the GOE and non-GOE entities. These 10 fields and themes of study are aligned with Egypt's development priorities, with a focus on climate change as the main theme. The call for applications was initiated on December 3rd, 2023, specifically targeting employees of eligible GOE entities who had submitted their EOIs. The official UEP program website was launched on the MOHESR platform, and various outreach activities are being conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) to increase the applications' visibility and facilitate access to them. The Activity has also established a Pioneers Egypt Network (PEN) to maintain a sustainable governance structure and facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders. The USAID Egyptian Pioneers Activity has made significant progress in implementing its planned activities during the FY2024/Q1 reporting period. The Activity has established a strong foundation for its future work, with key positions filled, coordination meetings initiated, and collaboration and knowledge-sharing activities underway. The Activity is well-positioned to achieve its purpose of building a more inclusive and capable workforce in Egypt.