Nr. 93 - May 2010
Insight
SEKEM‘s Journal for Economy, Culture, and Society in Egypt
Editorial Dear Readers,
people with disabilities are still having a difficult time in rural Egypt. They are handicapped in several ways - both during their vocational training as in their later work life - if they are able to join the labour market at all.
International
Young Partners
New Co-Workers
Entrepreneurs’ Summit in Washington
SEKEM Supports Entrepreneurship
Deaf Seamstresses at Naturetex
President of the United States Invites Egyptian Entrepreneurs Helmy Abouleish representing SEKEM at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship together with multiple Egyptian business executives.
Firstly, there is little practical support available for handicapped people. Integration efforts are minor and there are only few institutions dedicated to assisting people with disabilities specifically in the countryside. Secondly, not much progress has been made in integrating physically or mentally disadvantaged Egyptians into regular work life severely limiting work opportunities for many. SEKEM has been working for and with handicapped people for many decades. It runs a dedicated facility for curative care that caters to their specific physical and mental needs. They profit from vocational training opportunities and contribute to the artistic diversity of SEKEM’s social and cultural life. SEKEM also has been employing handicapped co-workers since its inception. However, for the first time within a new project a large group deaf seamstresses was now employed by SEKEM’s Naturetex. This issue’s “Impressions” tells you more.
Your Team of Editors
Helmy Abouleish and fellow Egyptian business leaders at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship
O
n invitation of the President of the United States of America, H.E. Barack H. Obama, Helmy Abouleish participated on behalf of SEKEM in the US Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship held 26-27 April in Washington D.C. More than 250 delegates from over 50 countries, mostly from Muslim communities, came together in order to deepen ties between business leaders, foundations, and entrepreneurs in the United States and predominantly Muslim countries around the globe. The
initiative is part of President Obama’s efforts for a “new beginning” in the partnership with Muslim communities worldwide. Helmy Abouleish initiated an official declaration to the Summit by the Egyptian delegation, calling for acknowledging and supporting social entrepreneurship as a major driver for sustainable development. The group recommended promoting social enterprises and businesses who aim at tackling the dramatic ecological SEKEM Insight | May 2010 | Page 1
Economy
Helmy Abouleish and Prince Charles Discuss Benefits of Organic Farming
US-President Barack Obama addresses the audience at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship
and social challenges of the 21st century – by declaring 2011 the “UN year of Social Entrepreneurship” and by establishing a “Global Council for Social Entrepreneurship” to promote similar initiatives. Entrepreneurship can be regarded as a key driver for the sustainable development of countries such as Egypt, to enhance the lives of the people, promote a culture of innovation and competitiveness, unleash the potential of women entrepreneurs and serve as a motor for job creation and poverty reduction. In order to leverage this potential an enabling environment for new business ideas needs to be promoted. Inhibiting bureaucracy, difficult access to finance and lack of guidance as well as “moral support” are the typical problems to face in other countries such as Egypt. Red Tape Hinders Economic Development Obama provided his guests with a glimpse on how the United States’ archetypal notion of entrepreneurship had developed over time coining the concept of the “American Dream” that allows everyone to climb the social ladder from “rags to riches”. This strong bias in favour of an individual’s merits over those of ancestry and social background inspired Helmy Abouleish and corresponds with his own point of
view: “At this point, we in Egypt, and also most European countries, can learn a lot from the Americans”. At the Summit, some tangible measures to support entrepreneurship in international cooperation were agreed on, such as an e-mentoring platform as well as an exchange program. The external set-up is important to enable economic and social development through entrepreneurship; however, the crucial point is the entrepreneurial spirit of the individual. SEKEM is working to make a difference in Egypt by providing enhanced education and supporting individual development to kindle self-confidence, creativity and perseverance. “This also refers to the constant need to innovate and change” as Helmy points out. SEKEM has always strived to serve as a role model of how this attitude can promote progress. Still today the SEKEM Group continues to aim for innovation and the exploration of new business models. The EcoTec Holding he founded in 2007, which teams up with international business partners and provides capital, guidance and support in commercializing sustainable technologies in Egypt. Juliane Stolle is currently working as an intern to support the SEKEM Sustainability Team.
In May Helmy Abouleish, CEO of the SEKEM Group, had been invited together with numerous other entrepreneurs to discuss the future of agriculture and nutrition with Prince Charles, heir to the throne of the Commonwealth countries. Prince Charles himself has been supporting organic agriculture for more than 20 years on his own grounds at Highgrove. He sells organic foodstuffs and other products under his own brand available in many European countries. Plus, he is involved in multiple environmental protection programmes specifically through his foundation for the protection of the world’s rainforests. The meeting provided a forum for renowned experts from science, economy and politics to share experience concerning the present challenges in agriculture and nutrition of the world’s growing population. All participants were convinced of the benefits of organic cultivation methods and are themselves engaged in fostering their proliferation on a global scale. Helmy Abouleish introduced those present at the meeting to SEKEM’s agricultural business model as well as its present initiatives. He specifically named a study presently in development that examines the macro-economic impact of a full-scale conversion to organic agriculture in Egypt. Moreover he also reported on SEKEM’s efforts to improve international „eco standards” in order to integrate into them social aspects and environmental factors such as water and energy consumption. SEKEM has already been pursuing this goal since some time within the frame of the international “IAP Initiative”, a business network for more sustainability in global trade. Martin Haagen Martin Haagen supports SEKEMs activities in developmental politics and various projects in the field of renewable energies.
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Economy
Understanding SEKEM‘s Development: „SEED“ Supports Young SEKEM Co-Workers The “SEED” project supports entrepreneurial abilities of young co-workers at SEKEM through self-managed workshops.
L
ike most other businesses SEKEM also faces the task of optimally preparing young co-workers in leadership positions for future challenges in an ever-growing organisation with numerous commercial and non-profit ventures. Motivated by this question Helmy Abouleish in 2009 created the „SEED“ initiative: „SEKEM Development Programme for Entrepreneurship Education“.
SEED aims to create a network of young, socially interested entrepreneurs within the SEKEM initiative or acting as global cooperation partners. The term “entrepreneur” is understood in the broadest sense. It follows the ideal of each individual “being his life’s entrepreneur”. The participants of the SEED workshops thus do not only come from the economic and various industrial sectors but also from social and cultural fields of work. Shaping Society’s Future SEED subscribes to the view that the world will change dramatically within the coming 20 years. Only those individuals will be able to influence it towards more sustainable models of life and work that can “lead and act from the future“. The notion refers to a developmental concept that acknowledges the pressing need for sustainable change and constant innovation. A growing number of 18 to 35-yearold participants has been assembling for the past year around a core group of responsible individuals preparing the meetings and guiding questions. While some of them participate in the actual meetings themselves many also follow the development of their core questions from a distance. Among them are young co-workers
of the initiative, former pupils of the SEKEM School currently in vocational training, children of SEKEM co-workers, interns, and former employees or their partners wishing to contribute to the SEED idea. The group meets approximately four times a year or every three to four months on pre-defined topics. Until today the topics discussed mainly converged on the general idea of sustainability in business and society: sustainable management and development, social entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture and climate change, leadership qualities, knowledge management, sustainable economics as well as change management. Individual group members prepare an introduction to a given topic to bring everyone to the same level of knowledge at the beginning of each workshop. The participants then discuss current trends in the field and their relevance for the development of SEKEM initiative as such. Understanding SEKEM’s Development One of the key elements of each meeting is Helmy Abouleish’s “kick-off report” on present developments and innovations inside SEKEM’s firms and institutions. Other co-workers contribute to his assessment with reports from their own individual fields of work. During recent meetings participants discussed for instance the question if there is an actual difference between social businesses, non-profit entities, and companies engaging in “corporate social responsibility” activities. Is it only a question of definition or referring to a substantial difference?
Which economic model can lead to a more sustainable society? Can a business model kick off societal change or does that require the initiative of an individual? Exciting questions that will continue to be discussed in greater detail during the upcoming workshops specifically against the backdrop of recent scientific findings. Communicating SEKEM’s Success The SEED workshops also bring to the fore the issue of how the long-term development of SEKEM should be properly communicated to outsiders and the general public. Many sessions are therefore also used to discuss different strategies for the public communication of SEKEM’s achievements specifically related to sustainable business practice. Recent outcomes of the discussions include a manual on the topic of “sustainability reporting” that was produced on the specific request of SEKEM co-workers. The handbook shall support individuals and groups from outside SEKEM in replicating key aspects of its work in other locations and countries. SEED is meant to act as a catalyst for young co-workers at SEKEM to build the capacity needed to keep the initiative innovative and responsive to change. It shall assist them in opening up new paths for sustainable development in their work and life alike. Christina Boecker Christina Boecker works in the trade of raw products for SEKEM Europe GmbH in Bochum.
Svenja Bromberg Svenja Bromberg supports the development of the Heliopolis University in Cairo.
You can visit SEKEM yourself: www.SEKEM-reisen.de
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Culture
SEKEM School Supports the Preservation of Egyptian Oral History
Pupils of the SEKEM School perform “The Watermelon”
I
t is a story from the Middle East bearing the name „Al Baticha“, the watermelon, and it belongs to a group of stories that have special significance for the history of Egypt. Stories like “The Watermelon” have never been written down over centuries but have only been handed over to the next generation orally by female storytellers. For the first time and through cultural activities on the school level SEKEM is now supporting the preservation of oral Egyptian history in the age of the new media.
Several years ago the female Egyptian storyteller Maizara Abla visited SEKEM. She told the children at SEKEM’s social institutions many of the stories only known to her and a select group of few female fairytellers. Until today the number of story tellers has steadily sunk and their ability to pass on their knowledge to the next generation is thus slowly getting lost in the process. After Maizara Abla’s visit several people at SEKEM decided to write down a selection of her stories. After many years the first one could now be brought to the stage successfully as a project involving eurythmy, drama, storytelling, music, and song. It brought together a large group of children from many lower and
high-school grades, the kindergarten, and SEKEM’s vocational training centre. The SEKEM School’s choir also contributed with traditional Arabic songs. A classic form of performance had been chosen by the organisers and the music was also played on traditional instruments. Overall 80 male and female children from various grades were involved in the project. The story tells about the recognition of the sacred and trust in the meaningful unfolding of life. The tale of an enchanted girl that can becomes invisible by hiding inside a watermelon forms the core part of the story until a king’s son eventually uncovers her secret, finds the pieces of the shell of the watermelon and recognises the existence of the girl that he subsequently marries.
worked in common to create the different scene props that occur in the story and have eventually combined the individual parts into a remarkable artistic whole. By participating the younger children quickly found role models in their older schoolmates they eagerly wished to follow. Additional performances for the male and female pupils at schools in the vicinity of the SEKEM main farm are now planned for the near future. The organisers wish to express their gratitude for the financial support of the German support association of the SEKEM initiative. Martina Dinkel
Preserve Oral History and Build Self Confidence The school play aims at preserving Egypt’s oral cultural history and open its richness to the young generation of Egyptians. At the same time it tries to encourage the pupils to artistically express themselves. The group work strengthens their self-confidence and trust in their own artistic abilities. The collaboration of artists from various areas also has a significant pedagogical impact. Numerous groups have SEKEM Insight | May 2010 | Page 4
Impressions
Impressions from SEKEM
Since March 2010 50 new co-workers have been employed in SEKEM’s firm for organic textiles, Naturetex. All of them are deaf. A storage worker at Naturetex knew of the need for additional co-workers and established a contact to a local vocational training school in the provincial capital of Zagazig, the institution the young women had previously attended. After a brief learning period the women could immediately join the production of dolls. They have by now been fully integrated into the community of co-workers at the firm, carry out their work carefully and precisely and enrich the daily work life at one of SEKEM’s largest enterprises. This way their colleagues at Naturetex and the other firms also receive the opportunity to personally witness how physically disadvantaged individuals can find their equal place in the community and enjoy a regular life of productive work. This has been a core argument for SEKEM’s involvement in the strengthening of the rights of physically and mentally handicapped people in Egypt for 30 years. The initiative has employed disabled co-workers almost from the start. Initially the new colleagues had been employed to assist in the fulfilment of a large-scale order including the production of 100.000 dolls. Now that the job is almost done and since the cooperation has proven to be successful and productive the new coworkers have now received the offer to enter a training course and become professional seamstresses.
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News in Brief
SEKEM School Children Plant Trees
SEKEM‘s Children Celebrate Thanksgiving
New Project Aims to Strengthen Peace Worldwide
Each year approximately 12 million hectares of arable land is lost. Less and less land is available for the production of foodstuffs for human consumption. Since 1960 the surface of productive arable lands per capita has been halved.
With their project “A Band for World Peace: We Love Peace!” the group AdmaCUM e.V. aims at focussing the attention of individuals on the preservation of global peace through proactive activities on a local, national, and worldwide scale.
With its sustainable biodynamic agriculture SEKEM also pursues the goal of fighting desertification. Using biological waste as a basis compost is created that allows to transform even desert land into valuable soil. Carefully selected vegetation on the newly gained grounds assists in stabilising it and allowing for instance SEKEM’s new farms in the Egyptian deserts to survive. Its core component are trees that are being used as “living protective fences” encircling the fields. Even the freshly planted small trees can help in protecting the acres from the hot desert winds. Later they will provide shade for the sensitive herbs and have a positive influence on the farm’s micro-climate.
Each global citizen in support of peace making its intentions known to the organisers using e-mail, mail or fax will be registered with his or her name, city and country of residence on a physical band that is supposed to reach a length of 40.000 km once encircling the earth. 150.000.000 participants will be needed to achieve this goal.
This is why SEKEM’s school children have now set themselves a challenging goal: each of them is looking forward to planting at least one tree every year. The children know well what is at stake. They have in their communities experienced first hand the importance of the trees in fighting climate change, a development that will particularly affect Egypt. Each of them has already experienced for him- or herself the soothing effect of the trees’ shade in the burning heat of the midday sun during an Egyptian summer. Thus their motivation was excellent when the first planting began. They had selected a small patch of desert land close to the SEKEM School: on 21 April the pupils of the 8th grade together with their instructors put the first 50 seedlings into the ground into small holes they had previously prepared themselves with shovels. A strong image of a hopeful future for a greener Egypt and our world.
Also this year the children of the SEKEM School set out to celebrate their thanksgiving in May. Each year it is prepared by the 3rd grade over the course of an entire year. To prepare itself for the task the class first learns about the various common Egyptian crops such as wheat throughout the entire school year. Last October they set off by studying and trying out how to prepare the ground, how to sow, irrigate, and then carefully examine the growth of the first tiny leaves over the course of the following months until the full-grown ear of the grain develops in April or May. This development is a true annual miracle for all children from the SEKEM School involved in the process as they are eventually able to harvest their own grain, thresh it, and then bake it in their own self-built oven made from adobe bricks. At the actual event each class then presents the handicrafts and other works it has completed during the last school year laid out on colourfully decorated tables in front of each classroom. It was a remarkable experience for everyone visiting this year’s celebration to examine all the items large and small that had been hand-made by the children over the course of 12 months of school. The brief performances in which the children then personally presented the entire process of cultivating their own grain from sowing to harvest and baking on stage eventually closed the event and perfectly captured the hearts of the attending parents and friends.
The project’s information shall be translated into various world languages and be published and continuously updated on the organisers’ web page. The site shall also list the present length of the band, the sponsors as well as other supporters of the project.
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More informationen: Phone: 08171 - 348674 www.admacum.com
Masthead: The editors of SEKEM Insight wish to thank all contributors to this issue. Editors: Christina Boecker Bijan Kafi Contact: SEKEM-Insight c/o SEKEM Holding P.O.Box 2834, El Horreya, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt insight@SEKEM.com Pictures: 1,2, 5: SEKEM; 4l+r, 6: Sandra Poettrich No republication without written consent by the publisher.
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