El-Mahrousa came into an agreement with IOM (The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Egypt office to join its START project (Stabilizing at-risk communities and enhancing migration management to enable smooth transitions in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya) and implement a short-term project which started on 13th of March 2016 and lasted for duration of five months. The project had two main components: (i) building the capacity of employers in Qalyubia governorate to be better able to absorb youth employment, and (ii) increasing the awareness of youth and their communities in Qalyubia, Fayoum and Monufia on blue collar work through participatory awareness-raising sessions that discuss the importance of blue collar employment.

The project’s deliverables exceeded its planned achievements. 71 employers, compared to 60 employers targeted in the proposal, have received the training program on decent work, human resources management and youth employment promotion. 771 participants, compared to 710, from youth and community members attended awareness sessions. The achievements of the project go further beyond its quantitative success. Participants in employers’ training reported, during call interviews, about real changes in working environment. Some of them developed plans for human development training for their workforce and some others reported that they are in a process for developing an employment strategy for blue caller work using ideas discussed in the training sessions. On the other hand, participants in the awareness sessions changed their attitudes towards blue caller work like the youth in Monufia governorate. In Fayoum, women were allowed to access to the labour market after their husbands and/or brothers attended the awareness sessions.