Nr. 114 - March 2012
Insight
SEKEM‘s Journal for Culture, Economy, Society and Ecology in Egypt
Editorial Dear Readers,
SEKEM Website
Vocational Training
Multimedia
SEKEM Relaunches Website
A Report from Daily Work
SEKEM Launches Own YouTube Channel
SEKEM Reworks Internet Site Many friends, customers, and partners stay informed about SEKEM using the Internet. A lot of information on the initiative is already available here in multimedia form. After about 7 years SEKEM has decided to thoroughly revise its most popular web offering.
much of the communication of SEKEM’s companies, many of its initiatives and of its partners today takes place with the help of the Internet. Especially for relatively isolated initiatives that are also globally active like SEKEM, the Internet has proven to be a blessing. It not only allows fast and flexible communication. It also gives facilities such as SEKEM the opportunity to present themselves to the public in “sight and sound” - easier, faster, and in ways that are more visually appealing than ever before. SEKEM continues to grow, also on the Internet. There are presently many widely distributed offers to present SEKEM and its initiatives to the public in various different ways. For many prospective visitors, orientation can be more difficult than it should be. SEKEM has therefore decided to relaunch the most popular of these services and to use it as a basis for the future integration of most of the others. SEKEM’s new website has just been launched at the beginning of March. In this issue, we bring you a detailed description of its features and the motivation of its engineers.
Your Team of Editors Find SEKEM also on the Internet at:
SEKEM‘s new Internet site presents itself in a clearer, fresher, and multimedia-oriented way.
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ust a few days ago SEKEM has relaunched its own, central presence on the Internet. The completely redesigned website now brings together virtually every aspect of the SEKEM initiative and its commercial arm, the SEKEM Group of companies, radically modernizing their visual presentation and reviewing the underlying technical structure of the site itself. Visitors will now be able to find and access informative and visually
appealing content on the initiative much easier access and faster. „We have long observed that SEKEM’s website no longer meets modern requirements. Visitors do not find the information they want quickly and easily enough”, explains Thomas Abouleish, who manages the project for SEKEM, the motivation behind the technological restart. The new website replaces its familiar but somewhat outdated appearance with a visually SEKEM Insight | March 2012 | Page 1
Economy
attractive and technologically up to date solution that also encompasses content developed specifically for the new site. Its new design is not only more visually appealing but also provides a much broader set of functions. Comprehensive Overview The new website is based on widespread principles of user guidance “best practice” and is conceptually much easier to comprehend. A horizontal menu at the top of the screen provides quick and clear access to all broader aspects of the world of SEKEM and its companies - that is topical issues or concrete projects. The menu gives access to SEKEM companies, institutions and independent projects and initiatives such as the SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF). International offices and branches will also be included here shortly. Until then, SEKEM’s largest branch, SEKEM Europe, is still accessible via http://www.sekemshop.de. Relations with partners are set out more clearly to provide more information on global networks and interconnections. „The wide variety of SEKEM initiatives makes it a challenge to accurately depict all of SEKEM’s facets using the limited space available“ says Abouleish. „This diversity encompasses SEKEM’s unique character, but it also poses a challenge. I think we have found a very good solution.“
Fresh, modern design The new design is based on classic SEKEM colours. Although the visual design is also based on traditional shapes, the new approach looks a lot more modern, cleaner and clearer to the eye. The site also takes more advantage of multimedia content. Images, film and audio clips present the initiative in a more diverse and more instructive way than before. The direct embedding of social media services like Facebook and Twitter into the site will further allow users to share content more easily that is valuable to colleagues or friends. Also, announcements of events will be highlighted more clearly as will be contact information to individuals in charge of specific areas of SEKEM’s work making connections easier. Extensive background information The new site furthermore offers a lot more background information on SEKEM projects and work priorities. Whether a visitor is interested in products, social or educational services, is in search of specific facts or of information for special audiences like the press: this information can now be found in a central location. Dedicated subordinated sites describe specific subject areas in particularly important sectors of SEKEM’s work in greater detail, such as sustainability. Individual pages explain in words and pictures the preparation of SEKEM’s sustainability reports and the concept
of its „Flower of Sustainability”. Key documents such as the SEKEM Code of Ethical Business are also available establishing transparency towards SEKEM’s partners and beneficiaries. Big plans for SEKEM on the Internet The project coordinators have great plans for the expansion of SEKEM presence on the Internet. The new site, which was developed entirely in-house, is supposed to just be the beginning. It will be at the focus of other offerings but shall unite many previously scattered sites making them more accessible in the process. The project team is convinced that communication habits will continue to change in coming years. The Internet can make an important contribution to overcome the natural limits of cooperation among interested consumers, producers, processors, and retailers in a globalized society. „We want to offer our customers and partners more information on the origin of the products they consume. In the near future we will expand the web site with informational pages that explain in detail where the products of SEKEM come from and how they are made”, says Thomas Abouleish. „Our customers need this information to be able to make responsible purchasing decisions. We want to support them.” The new website was launched in mid-March in English, and will be available in German and Arabic soon. Bijan Kafi
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More information: http://www.sekem.com
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Culture
Private Support for SEKEM’s Vocational Training Centre For years, friends from many countries have lent their support to SEKEM through volunteer work in their spare time. Many, like Dieter Schütz, spend this time in Egypt.
Mr. Schütz, how did your engagement for SEKEM develop? My original motive, as a former vocational school in Memmingen (Germany), was to assist SEKEM’s educational facilities by contributing my personal work experience. I was in 2008 when I first came to help improve vocational training in Egypt. SEKEM seemed the ideal place to be. What did you find, when you came to SEKEM? I found an electrical workshop offering a 3-year training programme based on the German dual training concept (with alternating theoretical and practical classes). But initially SEKEM had to rely on the cooperation with conventionally trained teachers at its training centre (VTC). Their own training had been mostly theory with very little practical training. They naturally passed these instructional principles on to their own apprentices. Many thus turned out to be completely overwhelmed in practice by their inquisitive trainees. My first job was to improve this situation by improving teacher education. How did you do that? For instance, I introduced daily lesson planning sessions. I also gave practical guidance on an individual basis, and I then helped each of the teachers to implement their lessons. This way we slowly developed their experience and the methodological and actual quality of their practical work. The awareness of problembased learning greatly improved. I then went home very inspired aiming to raise money and begin to give
talks to expand on our achievements. In the following years I often travelled to Egypt and began to build on my training and bring missing materials and equipment with me. Today, the workshop and training quality is almost comparable to European standards. What is your next goal? A further training of trainers in SEKEM is urgently required as it is hard to find trained instructors. For this, SEKEM still needs foreign help. Personally I am now pursuing the goal of training the VTC’s instructors in inclusive teaching methods. The most talented apprentices will take part in these courses. This way I am trying to further SEKEM’s popular motto „work and learn - learn through work“. Do you see progress? Yes. The training of electricians, for instance, has reached international quality standards. SEKEM’s training already has a very good reputation in Egypt. We see this from the number of applications. Unfortunately, we can still accept only a few. How can others help you? It would be nice if more retirees would put their professional experiences to use by helping these young people develop. Besides that some material support to improve the training courses is also required. Because of the difference in value every donation helps 8-fold! (Donations can be made through the German association “Friends of SEKEM” at www.sekemfreunde.de). Questions posed by Yvonne Floride.
Dieter Schütz during training at SEKEM.
You can visit SEKEM yourself: www.SEKEM-reisen.de www.aventerra.de
SEKEM Launches Own YouTube Channel Recently, SEKEM began operating its own channel on the popular video and movie website YouTube. The new channel that is available at http:// www.youtube.com/sekeminitiative collects movies and short clips produced by, with, or about SEKEM. All film is provided in high definition. The new site also allows friends and partners, for instance, to use the films for presentation purposes as part of their own events. Media representatives will find reliable information material. The first movies include introductions to SEKEM in German, English and Arabic.
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More information: http://www.youtube.com/sekeminitiative
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Impressions
Impressions from SEKEM
T
he grand finale of this year‘s football tournament between the companies of the SEKEM group took place on 12 February at the SEKEM farm. After the firms Libra, Lotus, ISIS For Herbs, ISIS, Atos Pharma Naturetex, the Vocational Training Center (VTC), El Mizan, and the central administration of SEKEM had all completed their tournament games, the teams of ISIS and El Mizan faced each other as finalists. In the 90 minutes of play time four goals, loudly celebrated by colleagues and staff members, were scored leading to a 2:2 and an additional overtime. As no additional goals fell, the penalty shootout ended the game at 7:6 for the team of ISIS. „We are very happy with this victory, but we plan to train even harder so that next year we can bring home victory without a penalty shootout“, Kamal, striker of the ISIS team and senior staff member in quality control at ISIS, commented the game. The troupe was visibly happy with the win. Still on the field, they received their trophy from the hands of Helmy Abouleish. SEKEM Insight | March 2012 | Page 5
News in Brief
Demeter and Ecovin Demand Different Agriculture
GLS Bank: Microfinance Offer Very Successful
Alliance of Waldorf Schools Publishes First Film
The industrialization of agriculture regularly is the cause of scandals. They include antibiotics in poultry, the irreversible loss of species and environmental quality, genetic engineering, and the suffering of animals in supersized stables. We know that conventional agriculture exacerbates hunger crises, contributes to climate change, but is still financially supported significantly better than organic farming. The EU and national governments support this agricultural industry with billions of euros of subsidies every year.
Since the beginning of the GLS Bank’s management of the federal German microfinance programme in 2010, more than twice as many loans as originally planned could be disbursed to small-scale entrepreneurs.
The Alliance of Waldorf Schools, the worldwide association of Waldorf and Rudolf Steiner Schools, is taking first steps towards a modern communications of their work for a progressive pedagogy. „We have for a long time worked with a PR agency on the topic of communication through film. Now we can present our first short film at this year’s ‘didacta’ fair”, „Celia Schoenstedt, public relations officer at the alliance, explains the project.
This can not go on. To make their voices and those of the consumers heard Demeter and Ecovin have recently called to Berlin for a rally sporting the motto „We‘re fed up!“.
The opportunity for changing this policy nightmare has never been greater, say the two organizations, which have been cooperating for some time already in viticulture. So far, the federal German government continues to block real reform. The eco-associations Ecovin and Demeter together with 40 other organizations from the environmental, consumer rights, and religious fields had called for the demonstration against this policy-making. The two organizations have agreed on close future cooperation. ECOVIN is the largest specialty association for organic viticulture. Demeter, as an eco-pioneer, continues to guarantee for the quality of biodynamic wines that are increasingly sought-after. The new cooperation underlines the common objectives in education, quality of labour and exchange of know-how.
The demand for microfinance in Germany is steadily growing: „After nearly two years of offering microfinance loans we see a more than positive development,“ says Falk Zientz, head of microfinance at the GLS Bank. „So far we have distributed nearly 6630 micro loans totally just under 39.8 million euros. Only 2400 loans had initially been planned for this period.“ The bank could also extend
the number of cooperating microfinance institutions (MFIs), which take over the regional credit counseling, from 10 to 45 nationwide. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) had asked the GLS Bank in early 2010 to extend the range of micro-loan availability nationwide in Germany. To hedge the credit risk exposures towards the GLS Bank, the BMAS and the European Social Fund Euro are providing 100 million Euros to the German microloan facility. The German microfinance program will run until 2015. 25,000 loans are to be disbursed until then in total. To make the offer even better known to potential borrowers, the partners have now started a Germany-wide advertising campaign aiming to tell a number of success stories of individual credit holders succeeding in realising their personal entrepreneurial projects.
Source: Demeter
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More information: http://www.wir-haben-es-satt.de
Source: GLS Bank
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The first film, which is available on YouTube and on the alliance’s dedicated ‘didacta’-website, introduces the work of the Waldorf teacher. It emphasizes the personal experience of young Waldorf teachers and presents in-depth insights into the special features of Waldorf education and the profession. Other films will follow. Source: Association of Waldorf Schools
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More information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBWwb8tdP8E
Masthead: The editors of SEKEM Insight wish to thank all contributors to this issue. Editor: Bijan Kafi Contact: SEKEM-Insight c/o SEKEM Holding P.O.Box 2834, El Horreya, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt insight@SEKEM.com Pictures: Seite 1, 2, 3: Bijan Kafi; 5: SEKEM. No republication without written consent by the publisher.
More information: http://www.mein-mikrokredit.de
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