09.04.2021

Safir is a project supporting youth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 9 countries across Northern Africa and the Middle East. Co-funded by the European Union, it aims at creating an enabling environment in favour of youth participation and of the development of entrepreneurial projects with social, cultural and environmental impact. The program will run from 2020-2024 with a budget of EUR 7.08 million. It is implemented by Institut français, Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), CFI, agence française de développement médias, Lab’ess, Pitchworthy/ALtCity Impact.

Countries covered: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria Tunisia.

Objectives: Safir is built around 3 pillars: providing support to more than 1,000 young project leaders, developing a regional network of organisations supporting social entrepreneurship, and accompanying the creation of spaces for dialogue between youth and governmental authorities.

Actions will include: supporting 1000 young people in developing social entrepreneurship projects and/or advocacy activities; accompanying the creation or consolidation of innovative spaces in 18 higher education institutions in the region and will support the creation of a regional network of 8 local incubators which will work towards the consolidation and standardization their support methodologies; supporting 21 civil society organizations to strengthen their advocacy training methodologies; inviting young project leaders to participate in more than 9 regional and international discussion spaces; producing a regional study and 3 case studies focusing on the impact of culture in democratization processes will be conducted; and awarding a responsible initiative award to project leaders and local authorities.