INNOVATORS FOR THE PUBLIC

ANNOUNCEMENT

Ashoka Arab World Fellow Receives Prestigious Award from U.S. President Barack Obama.

Cairo, Egypt – November 1, 2009. Ms. Azza Kamel, an Ashoka Arab World Fellow and head of Alwan wa Awtar (A&A - Arabic for Colours and Strings) recently received the esteemed “Coming Up Taller Award” from United States’ President Barack Obama. Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, dedicated to strengthening community arts and humanities programs for children and youth. The awards are given annually to the most outstanding out-of-school programs and projects that provide young people with education and experience in the arts and humanities. A&A was the only Egyptian organization chosen for the award this year, marking just the second time in the award’s history that an Egyptian project has been recognized.

At the helm of A&A, Azza uses innovative and experiential learning techniques to help children overcome the exclusion, inadequate education and limited skills that prevent them from contributing to society and the labor market. Through her community education center, Azza provides children from marginalized areas with creative, communicative, and analytical skills, which they cannot always acquire through their schools and homes. To ensure sustainability, she continues working with them throughout their childhood, guaranteeing an advantageous impact on their lives.

Azza is one of Ashoka Arab World’s newest Fellows, and a formidable example of the organization’s work in the region. Ashoka Arab World is the Middle East and North African branch of Ashoka, a global organization that provides financial, legal, and technical support to the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Ashoka Arab World Fellows are innovative citizen sector leaders, founding and directing cutting-edge ventures that tackle the Arab world’s most pressing socio-economic challenges. Their innovative programs and projects overcome obstacles impinging on sound growth and enhancement of healthcare, environmental sustainability, civic engagement and citizenship rights, gender equality, disability rights and income generation and employment. Ashoka serves as the enablers for its Fellows, helping them to empower people to lead more productive lives and create stronger communities throughout the Arab World.

Ashoka Arab World is headed by Dr. Iman Bibars, who is also the Vice President for Ashoka Global and the co-founder and chairperson of Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women (ADEW) .

 For More Information about Ashoka Arab World and Ashoka Global, please contact:

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2004/34 برقم مشهرةRegistration No. 34/2004

Ashoka Arab World االقليمى - المكتب العربي الوطن أشوكاRegional Office

Abdel Aziz Al 93 1 شقة – السابع الدور – سعود أل العزيز عبد شارع93Saud Street – 7th Floor – Apt.1

Manial – Cairo – Egypt مصر – القاهرة – المنيلTel : (202) 25328586 – 23655336 – 25314775 - 25314779 Fax : (202) 23654404

www.ashoka-arab.org www.ashoka.org

INNOVATORS FOR THE PUBLIC

Iman Bibars, Ph.D.Vice President, Ashoka

Regional Director, Ashoka Arab World93 Abdel Aziz Al Saud, Apt. 1, 7th Floor

El ManialCairo, Egypt

Tel: +2 02 532 85 86ibibars@ashoka.org

www.ashoka-arab.org

Ashoka Global Headquarters1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2000 (20th Floor)

Arlignton, VA 22209USA

Tel: 703-527-8300Fax: 703-527-8383

Email: info@ashoka.org

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2004/34 برقم مشهرةRegistration No. 34/2004

Ashoka Arab World االقليمى - المكتب العربي الوطن أشوكاRegional Office

Abdel Aziz Al 93 1 شقة – السابع الدور – سعود أل العزيز عبد شارع93Saud Street – 7th Floor – Apt.1

Manial – Cairo – Egypt مصر – القاهرة – المنيلTel : (202) 25328586 – 23655336 – 25314775 - 25314779 Fax : (202) 23654404

www.ashoka-arab.org www.ashoka.org