NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Egypt is the most populated country in the Middle East, with more than 96 million people.

When you consider that most of the country is an inhabitable desert away from the Nile Delta — the life source of Egypt in the northeast — it’s hard to comprehend where everyone can reasonably reside.

In 2016, the Egyptian housing ministry estimated that a staggering 500,000 new homes need to be built every year for five years to keep pace with the population growth. Despite these efforts, many Egyptians cannot afford these homes. As a result, they live outside urban city centers in informal settlements with poor access to adequate housing, education or healthcare services.

How can the millions of Egyptians living in informal settlements be supported?

Radwa Rostom – a 30-year-old local female engineer and Millennial social entrepreneur – answered the call by founding Hand Over in 2015. Hand Over’s primary aim is to create durable and resilient houses and community buildings in underprivileged communities by empowering architects, civil engineering students, and local residents using sustainable construction.

Photo courtesy of Albert Gonzalez Farran.