From aid to empowerment… Maya Morsi redraws the map of social protection in Egypt
From aid to empowerment.. Maya Morsi redraws the map of social protection in Egypt
At this stage, Egypt is witnessing profound transformations in the concept of social protection, as it is no longer limited to providing support and care, but rather includes building policies of economic empowerment and institutional reform that puts people at the heart of development. In the context of this transformation, the recent meeting between Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister; To reveal the features of a comprehensive vision that reflects this trend and establishes a new phase in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Egypt Vision 2030.
During the meeting, the Minister of Solidarity presented the features of the Ministry’s role in the national social protection network, as it manages 60% of the total social protection programs provided by the relevant authorities and ministries, which number 22 programmes. Dr. Maya Morsi announced the launch of a national platform for social protection in May 2025, with a plan to launch an international platform during the next year to exchange global experiences, in a step that reflects an Egyptian trend towards building cross-border partnerships in this vital field.
Strengthening social safety nets
The Social Safety Network represents the basic pillar of Dr. Maya Morsi’s vision and the policies of the Ministry of Social Solidarity, as it is not limited to providing direct support, but rather works to provide a comprehensive system that ranges from immediate assistance to building the capabilities of individuals and families. This trend reflects a deep understanding that social protection is a strategic tool for rebuilding societies on more just and sustainable foundations.
Solidarity and dignity…from support to empowerment
At the heart of this system comes the “Solidarity and Dignity” program, as it is the cornerstone from which other initiatives aiming at human and economic empowerment branch, including projects to support university education and others. The Minister confirmed during the meeting that the “Solidarity and Dignity” program represents a lifeline for millions of families, noting that the period between July 2024 and July 2025 witnessed the enrollment of 800,000 new cases compared to the graduation of 600,000 cases, with an increase 25% in the value of cash aid. The total number of beneficiary families reached 7.7 million families, which the Minister described as “evidence of the program’s transition from temporary aid to sustainable economic empowerment.”
Solidarity units in universities
The Minister also reviewed the solidarity units project in universities, which covers 31 universities and is planned to expand by adding 12 new units in technological universities. She explained that the project focuses on supporting “Solidarity and Dignity” students and rehabilitating people with disabilities through assistive devices such as talking laptops and headphones, in parallel with signing cooperation protocols with companies and banks to qualify students for the labor market, in a way that supportshuman capital as one of the pillars of sustainable development.
Effective crisis response and community support
Urgent interventions complement this structure by protecting the groups most cared for in moments of crisis, as it is the core of the social protection philosophy, where efforts are not limited to designing long-term programs, but rather extend to immediate intervention to save individuals in emergency humanitarian crises. The Minister directed the Central Rapid Intervention Team to deal with a series of calls for help received by the Ministry regarding homeless women and children who were exposed to complex family and living problems.
The interventions included transferring an Iraqi citizen and her Libyan daughter to the Women’s Hosting and Guidance Center after losing their identification papers, and providing a care home for a seventy-year-old elderly woman in Giza Governorate after her request for a “Karama” pension was rejected, in addition to placing an elderly woman in Menoufia Governorate in a nursing home after she was subjected to mistreatment by her family. The team also intervened to rescue a woman with disabilities in Alexandria, a divorced woman in Assiut who was subjected to domestic violence, and a homeless woman in Sohag, which reflects a practical response that gives a human dimension to social protection policies.
Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
This vision did not stop at the borders of the Egyptian interior, but rather extended to confirm that social protection is an investment in people wherever they are. During the weekly Cabinet press conference, Dr. Maya Morsi reviewed the scale of the humanitarian efforts led by the Egyptian state to support the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip, explaining that the national coordination mechanism led by the Egyptian Red Crescent Society has succeeded since October 2023 in bringing in more than 35 thousand aid trucks amounting to nearly half a million tons.
She also indicated the launch of the “Zad Al-Azza from Egypt to Gaza” convoy, which brought in 4,500 tons of basic foodstuffs in just four days, in addition to preparing 176 ambulances and establishing logistical centers for the Egyptian Red Crescent in Al-Arish and Ismailia to ensure the orderly flow of aid.
The Minister stressed that these humanitarian efforts are part of a comprehensive philosophy that links social protection to building human capital even in times of conflict, noting that 17 shelter points have been prepared in several governorates to receive the injured and their companions, while providing shelter, food, and health care through a partnership between state institutions and civil society.
I also highlighted that the Egyptian citizen was an integral partner in this role, as the value of in-kind and material donations from citizens exceeded four billion pounds, in a message that reveals the depth of popular solidarity and the integration of official and societal efforts towards the Palestinian issue
Economic empowerment and enhancing local production
Economic empowerment represents a natural extension of this system, as social justice is linked to the ability of individuals to produce and actively participate in the national economy. Dr. Maya Morsi explained during the meeting with the Prime Minister that this axis aims to move beneficiaries from the stage of dependence on aid to the stage of sufficiency and creating added value, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Egypt’s Vision 2030; Therefore, the Ministry of Social Solidarity offers several practical initiatives that combine financing, technical support, and enhancing local production.
A comprehensive financial system
In this context, the Minister referred to the strategic financial system that was launched in March 2025, with the aim of supporting vulnerable families with comprehensive financial and insurance services through more than 20,000 service points and innovative digital platforms such as “Tahwisha,” “Tamkeen,” and “Ayad Misr,” and explained that this system is part of an integrated vision to enhance financial inclusion and open real paths to economic empowerment.
“Plant” Initiative
The Minister also referred to the fourth phase of the “Plant” initiative for the 2025/2026 agricultural season, explaining that the initiative aims to support wheat cultivation and reduce the import bill, thus improving the income of half a million farmers. The initiative demonstrates the close link between social protection and food security. It gives rural communities an opportunity to adapt to climate change, enhancing local production and the strength of the national economy.
Childhood and Family Care
The Minister’s vision is not limited to providing an immediate protection umbrella for the groups most cared for, but rather extends to building solid foundations for the future by investing in people from their very beginnings and strengthening family cohesion. It is the first pillar of any sustainable renaissance, and building a strong society begins from the first years of childhood.
Therefore, the Ministry’s policies extend to include two complementary paths: developing the early childhood stage as the basis of human capital, and consolidating the values of balanced education within the family in a way that protects the social fabric.
Attention to early childhood is a strategic investment
In this context, Dr. Maya Morsi explained that the early childhood program aims to expand the scope of nurseries and kindergartens within a legal and regulatory system that guarantees quality, stressing that this stage represents the cornerstone in building generations capable of facing the challenges of the future. She also pointed out that the program contributes to women’s economic empowerment by providing a safe environment for children, which enhances the balance between work and family.
Affection.. Education.. Sharing
With regard to the family, the Minister presented the national program “Affection, Education, Participation” aimed at reaching 23 million beneficiaries, explaining that it constitutes a pillar for building a cohesive society by spreading awareness and balanced upbringing, and explained that this program works as a preventive mechanism that seeks to reduce the factors of disintegration, in accordance with the philosophy of comprehensive social protection.
In conclusion, theThe Earth Guards Foundation indicates that the Egyptian experience in social protection reveals a qualitative shift linking the humanitarian dimension and national strategies; Because development here is not measured only by the number of programs or the volume of spending, but rather by its ability to build a balanced society, capable of resilience and transformation. Therefore, Dr. Maya Morsi – through her tireless efforts in the Ministry of Social Solidarity – seeks to activate social protection policies, conscious investment in people, and reformulate the relationship between the state and the citizen on the basis of partnership and empowerment.
