You’d be wrong to think that the current opposition parties in Egypt will affect any form of change in the coming years. Apart from the fact that they are farcical paper tigers that lack the political capability to confront the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), they have also failed to infuse their parties with young blood, their only chance for continuity.
The problem in Egypt is not with political parties. It is primarily the absence of a real civil society which understands its rights and demands them. Thus the launching pad for real change in the next ten years must begin with rebuilding a strong civil society that plays an essential role, and educating new generations of Egyptians who are able to contemplate the future optimistically.
Despite the existence of about 20,000 NGOs working in community service all over the country, we cannot claim to have a true civil society. Most NGOs are either in it for the media exposure they bask in for tackling human rights and civil liberties issues. The financial and administrative corruption of some of them has even made headline news. The alternative is religious organizations practicing community work, essentially doing charity work without developing an awareness of the individual’s role in his community.
On the other hand, some NGOs expressing a sincere desire to revive Egyptian civil society are emerging and expanding. These organizations focus primarily on raising public rights awareness among Egyptians by introducing them to the concepts of basic rights to food, clothing, housing and jobs, for instance. They also guide citizens as to the mechanisms of demanding and realizing these rights in an orderly and civilized way. To do so, they target a specific demographic of university students. I refer to these bodies as “Human Development Organizations because they are concerned with reconstructing the Egyptian citizen’s intellect, guiding him on how to behave more self-consciously.
This new form of civil organization is characterized by three main features. First, they keep a low profile. With no aspiration to become media celebrities, these organizations do not exploit the dreams of Egyptian youth. They are akin to the anonymous soldier, delivering a sublime message without seeking compensation.
Second, these organizations flatly refuse to be involved in political work – unlike some human rights organizations – which enables them to avoid conflict with authorities and steer them clear from the administration’s attractive pitfalls. They look to the future, not only the present, as the majority of their activities are aimed at younger generations with a strong will to change.
One exceptional example of this new form of community organization is Nadhet Al-Mahrousa. This NGO was established by a group of young Egyptians living all over the world who share a vision of restoring the morals, values, ideas and culture that once made Egypt a “cradle of civilization.
Predicated on their belief that Egypt is entitled to a better future, they have created a constructive framework using their shared ideas and thoughts, their integrated experiences, a network of national and international contacts, their ability to research and analyze, and their extensive experience in volunteer community work.
This organization adopts a novel approach to human development in Egypt, called the “Incubated Project, where they embrace genuine ideas for feasible projects that can be implemented on a national level.
I once met one of the youths working with this organization named Khaled Abdel Aziz. An engineering student in his final year at Cairo University, Abdel Aziz runs a promising project called “Community Leadership Association targeting university students. It aims to help them rethink their understanding of public affairs by embracing those with strong leadership skills, giving them intensive political and cultural training.
Another promising project, called “Inmaa aims to spread the concept of “Sustainable Development.
No doubt there are other organizations working this way, far from the media spotlight. These new types of organization are in dire need of serious patronage and support, enabling them to achieve fruitful results that can foster a strong Egyptian community which is the potential fuel for change and reform in the future.
Khalil Al-Ananiis an expert on Political Islam and Deputy Editor of Al Siyassa Al Dawliya journal published by Al-Ahram Foundation
