Financed by the Millennium Development Goals Fund, the project’s objective was to ensure sustainable development of the Dahshur World Heritage Site. In the framework of the national master plan to conserve cultural heritage in Egypt, the project aimed at enhancing capacities to manage the Site, supporting local entrepreneurship and job opportunities in the creative industries and cultural tourism sectors, and promoting public awareness of the value of World Heritage for social development.

In addition to achieving effective preservation of the archaeological site and surrounding natural resources, the sustainable development of the Dahshur component of Memphis, its Necropolis and the surrounding community had two specific objectives closely linked to the creative economy. It aimed to boost community development and employment generation and to raise cultural awareness among the surrounding community. The project provided culturally sensitive training to local women on handicraft production, including embroidery, carpet making, arts and crafts. By developing a culturally sensitive approach, the training project introduced women to work experiences beyond the traditional homemaker roles.

A large scale training of locals was implemented in a variety of areas: 80 women received intense technical training courses on the production of handicrafts and 3000 locals were trained in cultural tourism management. The capacity-building scheme combined with a loan granting scheme favouring entrepreneurship resulted in the creation of small and medium sized enterprises.

The project contributed to enhancing job opportunities in the creative industries and cultural tourism sector, especially for women. Direct beneficiaries amount to 4 900, among which 39% women and the indirect beneficiaries amounted to 40 000 of which 46% are women.

We have our own plans and dreams and we act as a community,” said Marwa  Shahin, a young women in her mid-20’s who is a member of the Dahshur Forum. “Through the Forum and the multitude of activities, people from the different villages got to know each other, and now they understand better the meaning of joining efforts and working together.”

Om Ahmed, like many Dahshurians, expressed optimism about the new culture of entrepreneurship in the community and the efforts to raise awareness among residents about the area’s potential as a center of tourism, culture and crafts.  

Looking up from her work at the UN crafts training, where she and her colleagues were bending and weaving palm leaves into elegant ladies’ handbags, she said: “One day people around the world will look at items like these with a ‘Made in Dahshur’ label attached.” She added playfully, “We will even compete with China!”