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New Visions Life Skills for Young Men
Holds First Graduation
New Visions:
A milestone | Quick
facts | Voices
and faces
QENA, Egypt, March 2, 2003 –-
Community-driven "life skills education" in Egypt
marked a milestone as the "New Visions" program
for boys and young men held its first graduation
ceremony in this rural area near Luxor.
"New Visions" educates males aged 10 to
20 years old in rural communities about coping
skills such as gender awareness, anger management,
health, and planning for the future. It was
designed to complement the long-running
life-skills program for girls and young women, New
Horizons. Like the earlier program, its
curriculum was designed in collaboration with
leaders, parents and young people from the local
communities who were then trained to run the
classes.
New Visions classes began in fall
2002 as a pilot program in three governorates –-
Beni Suef, Minya and Qena. Qena Governorate north
of Luxor had the distinction of holding the
program’s first graduation ceremony from 2 to 4
p.m. March 2 at Qena’s Cultural Palace. Nearly 300
class participants and 13 facilitators from rural
Qous district and local sponsor the Family and
Environment Development Association (FEDA) were
honored.
Both programs are funded by
the American people through the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID/Egypt),
implemented by the NGO the Center for Development
& Population Activities (CEDPA),
and run locally by community development
associations, in cooperation with the Government
of Egypt and local governorates.
Crucial
support came from Minister of Education Dr.
Hussein Kamel Bahaa El Din, Minister of Youth Dr.
Alay El Din Helal, and Minister of Social Affairs
Amina El Guindy. Minister Helal, Qena Governor
Adel Labib and USAID/Egypt Acting Mission Director
Anne Aarnes attended Sunday and addressed the
graduates, as did representatives of Minister El
Din and Minister El Guindy.
New Horizons,
founded on the principle that knowledge and
self-esteem will help young women become better
members of their families and communities, informs
young women about reproductive health, nutrition,
and their ability to pursue schooling and work.
Similarly, New Visions acknowledges the importance
of young men and their own self-confidence in
shaping a positive environment for
women.
MORE:
Quick
facts about the New Visions program
Voices
and faces of New Visions
participants
For more
information, contact USAID/Egypt public relations
specialist Daniel Bernard, dbernard@usaid.gov.
Phone: 522-6544 in Cairo. Mobile: (012)
389-3988.
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