UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Government

Name of Ministry/Agency:

Country:	United States of America

Initiative Title:	Self-Help Partnership (SHP) Projects

Internet links:	http://usembassy.egnet.net/shp/shp.htm

Scope:	National: - Egypt

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: 1999 End:

Stakeholders/Partners:

Relevent issues:	- Improved Housing - Job Creation and Enterprise Promotion - Mobilizing Financial Resources - Integrated Approaches to Housing and Infrastructure Financing and Development - Integrated Planning and Decision-Making

Objectives/Challenges:

-- To enhance the provision of community-based integrated basic services
-- To empower communities by increasing their problem-solving, management and negotiations skills
-- To improve the quality of inhabitants' lives and
-- To protect the environment

Lessons Learned:

Key Factors for Success

The self-help projects respond to community needs and improve basic economic and social conditions of the local community because they are based on the participation of affected residents.
Substantial amounts of money are saved because the projects involve a significant contribution of labor, money or materials by members of the local community, which then also operates, maintains and sustains the infrastructure, activities and services.

Main Obstacles
There are certain applications for which self-help funds may not be used. These include the purchase of vehicles and office equipment, renovations and religious activities. The funds cannot be the sole source of funds either for start-up costs, since local associations are required to have started the project themselves and donated labor, material or money initially, or for on-going administrative or operating costs, such as salaries and rent. Lastly, all those activities that receive U.S. Agency for International Development funds or have recently received a Self-Help grant are not eligible. These constraints have made it difficult for some slum upgrading projects to apply for funding through self-help grants.

Land tenure is one of the main dilemmas that have hindered the development of up-grading projects. In many Egyptian slums the land tenure issue has not been resolved and is still pending.

Sustainability and Transferability
Since the fiscal year 2004, the Self-Help Program fund has been doubled in size. The annual fund for this program has been increased to $200,000 in order to support sustainability and maintenance of the projects. It is planned to expand the assistance given to projects such as micro-credit lending programs, vocational training for girls and women, further utility up-grading, environmental projects, and a number of other community development projects. Due to the general success of the self-help partnership projects in Egypt, it is planned to further integrate, upscale and replicated them throughout the country.

Policy Options:

Egypt’s estimated slum area is about 500 km2. In Alexandria alone, there are 48 slum areas with a total population of 1.1 million, which represents a third of the city’s total population.

Summary:

In an effort to ameliorate the living conditions of the slum dwellers, the U.S. Embassy’s Self-Help Program assists small grassroots and local community projects and currently supports 61 projects all over the country. The program has been received so well that project proposals far exceed the funding capacity of about 20 projects per year.

To qualify, a project must respond to a pressing community need and result in a lasting improvement to the community. The implementing association must start the project itself and donate labor, material, or money. Moreover, it must be able to complete the project in less than one year and continue to maintain it in the future. A project grant generally ranges between US$2,000 and US$10,000.

Outcomes
So far, the self-help program has resulted in
-- Provision of basic infrastructures/structures for environmental health (connection to potable water, sanitation)
-- Provision of social services (health care centers and education services)
-- Local capacity building, vocational training, and income generating activities
-- Improved position of women
-- Establishment of mentally and physically challenged children centers
-- Micro-credit loan programs.