IBBY-Yamada 2025: Egypt

IBBY Egypt
Empowerment Through Reading for Refugees & Impoverished Children in Egypt

This pilot initiative targeted refugee and impoverished children in Cairo (Al Asmarat, 6th of October City) and Alexandria, addressing literacy gaps and psychosocial trauma through bibliotherapy and storytelling. Implemented by Kheir wa Baraka NGO and The New Woman Association with support from EBBY, the project aimed to empower 600 vulnerable children by training teachers, coordinators, and parents in reading mediation. The intervention focused on creating safe, expressive environments where literature serves as a tool for healing, critical thinking, and community integration.

Capacity building was central to the project, with 25 facilitators trained in children’s literature, diverse representation, and interactive storytelling techniques. Workshops covered age-appropriate book selection, cultural sensitivity, and methods to encourage open dialogue. Concurrently, the project established a functional community library stocked with 600 curated books, enhanced with shelving and dedicated reading spaces. Children participated in four major art and storytelling workshops, where they created their own illustrated books and personal narratives, fostering creativity and emotional expression. Additionally, three cultural seminars engaged 75 parents, strengthening home-school connections and promoting family-led reading habits.

The project successfully reached over 600 children, demonstrating significant improvements in communication skills and psychosocial well-being. Trained facilitators have since assumed roles as community trainers, ensuring the continuity of reading programmes without external dependency. The library remains operational through local partnerships and community ownership. Validated as a replicable model, this initiative proves that integrating literature with creative expression offers a sustainable path to empowerment for displaced and marginalised youth in Egypt.