Yasmine Rashed: Supporting youth and expanding access to education through technological universities lie at the heart of EFIG’s CSR strategy

EFIG has been a strategic partner of Takafoa for more than four years, supporting outstanding students at Egypt’s technological universities

Ambassador Nabila Makram: Takafoa demonstrates how partnerships can combine support, empowerment and human development

Dr Ahmed El-Gioushy: We aim to reach 120,000 students at technological universities by 2030

Dr Hind Abdel Halim: Our long-standing cooperation with Sonaa El Kheir spans development and the empowerment of underserved communities

Hany Abdel Fattah: Investing in outstanding students from underserved families is an investment in Egypt’s future

Reinforcing their shared commitment to expanding educational opportunities and empowering future generations, eFinance Investment Group and Sonaa El Kheir Foundation for Development celebrated the graduates of the Takafoa 2026 initiative.

The ceremony marked another milestone in a strategic partnership that has spanned more than four years, supporting outstanding and talented students from underserved families enrolled at Egypt’s technological universities.

Through scholarships and the coverage of educational expenses, Takafoa helps remove financial barriers that could prevent deserving students from continuing their education and maintaining their academic excellence. The initiative enables students to focus on developing their knowledge and capabilities, preparing them to contribute to an increasingly technology-driven economy.

The partnership reflects a shared belief that access to technological education can create meaningful opportunities for young people while helping build the skilled talent required to meet the evolving needs of the labour market and advance Egypt’s digital transformation.

The event was attended by Ambassador Nabila Makram, Head of the Technical Secretariat of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work; Dr Ahmed El-Gioushy, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Technological Education; Dr Hind Abdel Halim, Deputy Governor of Giza; Hany Abdel Fattah, Chief Executive Officer of Sonaa El Kheir Foundation for Development; Dr Nehal Belbaa, Member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees; and Yasmine Rashed, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Community Development at eFinance Investment Group.

Ambassador Nabila Makram emphasised that meaningful development partnerships go beyond providing assistance. They invest in people, empower them to realise their potential and create pathways towards a more sustainable future.

She noted that the long-standing partnership between Sonaa El Kheir and EFIG embodies this approach through Takafoa, which supports students at technological universities and helps them continue their studies without allowing economic challenges to disrupt their academic progress.

Makram praised both organisations for supporting underserved communities, describing Takafoa as a model of cooperation between government, the private sector and civil society. She added that the initiative reflects the essence of development work by bringing together support, empowerment and investment in people.

For his part, Dr Ahmed El-Gioushy highlighted the continued expansion of Egypt’s technological university system, which began in 2019 with three universities and has since grown to 12. He explained that this model of education focuses on transforming scientific knowledge into practical applications and products that respond directly to labour market needs.

He added that the Ministry of Higher Education aims to reach approximately 120,000 students at technological universities by 2030. Supporting this field of education, he explained, remains an important national priority as technology plays an increasingly significant role across professions and industries.

Dr Hind Abdel Halim praised the long-standing cooperation between Giza Governorate and Sonaa El Kheir Foundation, noting that it extends across several development areas. These include the Sustainability Centre for Traditional and Heritage Crafts in El Badrashin, as well as initiatives supporting and empowering persons with disabilities and recognising sporting champions.

She reaffirmed the Governorate’s readiness to continue working with Sonaa El Kheir and expand development partnerships capable of delivering sustainable impact for citizens.

Hany Abdel Fattah said the celebration of the Takafoa 2026 graduates represents an important milestone in Sonaa El Kheir’s partnership with EFIG. It also reflects the Foundation’s commitment to advancing technological education and ensuring that talented students have a fair opportunity to complete their studies and fulfil their potential.

He stressed that investing in outstanding students from underserved families is a strategic investment in Egypt’s future, particularly as technical and technological education plays an essential role in responding to labour market needs and supporting sustainable development.

Abdel Fattah explained that Takafoa was launched to ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent any outstanding student from completing their educational journey. By providing scholarships and covering educational expenses, the initiative eases the financial burden on students’ families and allows beneficiaries to focus on academic achievement, innovation and maintaining their excellence.

He added that the partnership with EFIG demonstrates how the development expertise of civil society organisations can complement private-sector capabilities to strengthen the reach, impact and sustainability of community initiatives.
Concluding his remarks, Abdel Fattah thanked the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, EFIG and all participating government and private-sector partners. He said their collective efforts have helped establish Takafoa as a model of social solidarity, youth empowerment and investment in the future.

Yasmine Rashed expressed EFIG’s pride in its strategic partnership with Sonaa El Kheir through Takafoa, emphasising that supporting young people and expanding access to education through technological universities lie at the heart of the Group’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

She explained that EFIG’s extensive experience in digital transformation and financial technology has reinforced its understanding of the importance of developing skilled talent equipped with the knowledge and capabilities required by the economy of the future.

Rashed noted that investing in outstanding students from underserved families not only helps create opportunities for young people, but also contributes to developing the human capabilities needed to support Egypt’s digital economy and sustainable development.

She added that providing scholarships and supporting talented students are intended to remove the economic barriers that could stand in the way of continued academic excellence. This support helps create an encouraging educational environment in which students can develop their capabilities and turn their ambitions into tangible opportunities to participate in the labour market.

Rashed concluded that the long-standing partnership between EFIG and Sonaa El Kheir through Takafoa reflects their shared belief that youth empowerment and investment in technological education are essential to building a more sustainable future for Egypt’s economy and society.