Cairo, 29 September 2022 – Hundreds of refugee children living in Cairo enjoyed their summer while participating in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Programme supported, coordinated and implemented by Al Alfi Foundation, UNHCR Egypt, Catholic Relief Services Egypt and 1001 Inventions.
The STEM Programme, aiming to spark curiosity in science and inspire hope in a better future for 1500 refugee children through 2022, continued to offer daily activities during the summer holidays at the GrEEK Campus at the heart of downtown Cairo.
Through an exciting range of 1001 Inventions activities, children join a fun-filled journey of learning. They follow in the footsteps of pioneers from the history of science including Jabir ibn Hayyan, Ibn al-Haytham and Al-Jahiz to unravel mysteries from the science of chemistry, learn about light and optics and understand the importance of living in harmony with nature.
A team of local science explainers are being regularly trained to deliver the STEM experiences. The aim is to build the capacity of a cohort of university students, recent graduates and young scientists who are excited to share their passion for science and may choose public engagement with science for their future careers.
As COP27 will be organised in Sharm El Sheikh- Egypt, many of the summer activities introduced children to the challenges of climate change. Inspired by Al-Jahiz, the ninth-century explorer, the team helped raise awareness of the modern-day threats to the natural world and explained to children how their everyday actions could help protect the environment and the planet.
With the start of the school year soon approaching, activities will be organised during weekends as part of the sustainability plan for the Programme.
About Al Alfi Foundation for Human and Social Development
An independent philanthropic foundation is aiming at developing people with high capability to improve their surrounding social and economic environment. A high-impact foundation seeking the highest social return for our philanthropic interventions.
About UNHCR Egypt
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives and protecting the rights of refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. It works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home. The main objective is to help to save lives and build better futures for millions forced from home.
About CRS – Catholic Relief Services Egypt
CRS Egypt supports economic opportunities for refugees, women and other marginalized groups. CRS Egypt’s current interfaith action strategy promotes collaboration between Muslims and Christians in at-risk communities in Egypt to reduce interreligious conflict through community action.
CRS Egypt also offers education assistance to refugees from Africa, Syria and Iraq. CRS works closely with Egyptian organizations to carry out these programs, supporting each organization to become more effective, efficient and responsive—creating lasting positive change as this age-old society goes about reinventing itself.
www.crs.org/our-work-overseas/where-we-work/egypt
About the GrEEK Campus
The GrEEK Campus is Egypt’s first-ever heritage-driven technology hub.
Since opening our doors in 2014, it became the fastest-growing community of start-ups domestically and regionally. The GrEEK Campus ecosystem has shaped the tech industry in the entire MENA region.
Today, its unique mix of over 160 start-ups, incubators, VCs and accelerators -across various industries- has encouraged all its members to move forward and write their own stories.
About 1001 Inventions
1001 Inventions is an award-winning, British-based organisation that creates international educational campaigns and initiatives aiming to spark young people’s interest in science.
1001 Inventions believes in the power of culture and storytelling to encourage innovation and promote diversity and inclusion. As such, 1001 Inventions produces themed transmedia productions uncovering fascinating contributions of lesser-known pioneers from Arab, Asian and other Eastern cultures. Such creative public engagement productions cover a wide array of themes including health and wellbeing, machines and robotics, chemistry and its applications as well as animals and nature.
1001 Inventions has engaged with over 450 million people across the globe through effective grassroots outreach as well as working with a network of international partners, including UNESCO, the United Nations World Food Programme, National Geographic and leading academics to produce interactive exhibits, shorts films, live shows, books and educational resources that are being used by hundreds of thousands of educators around the world.
