SEKEM Development Foundation

Founded in 1987, SEKEM Development Foundation is a private nonprofit organisation based in Cairo, Egypt and it focusses on education, social development, healthcare, and ecology.

Related sustainable development goals

  • Good Health and Well-Being
  • Quality Education
  • Decent Work and Economic Growth

Focus areas

Focus sectors

  • Arts
    • Arts & Culture
  • Education
    • Early childhood education
    • Vocational education
    • Elementary and secondary education
      • Special needs education
    • Adult education
    • Higher education
  • Health
    • Public health
    • Reproductive health care
    • Out-patient care
  • Philanthropy
    • Foundations
    • Nonprofits

Focus populations

  • At-risk youth
  • Farmers
  • Low-income people
  • Students
  • Teachers
  • Unemployed people
  • Working poor

Focus geographies

  • North Africa
    • Egypt

Programmes

  • Arts and culture

    The foundation seeks to cultivate grassroots artistic collaborations and expression in RAK and the UAE. It hosts the annual RAK Fine Arts Festival, the Creative Dialogue series, and provides studio and gallery spaces with funding to support local and emerging talent through an artist-in-residence programme and other grant opportunities.

  • Heliopolis University
    University focussed on sustainable development and established by SEKEM.
  • Medical aid
    Provision of one-off emergency funds and longer-term support for low-income families to pay for medical bills.
  • School projects
    CodeBrave works with students in grades five to eight at disadvantaged schools and shelters, providing them with foundation digital and cognitive skills. The curriculum aims to motivate children to learn by incorporating fun and play into learning to reignite their passion for education, foster cognitive skills through project-based coding and robotics exercises, as well as establish a foundation that prepares them for CodeBrave’s more advanced programs. The organisation utilises a "STEAM education" model of hands-on and creative learning.
  • SEKEM Medical Centre
    Medical centre established by SEKEM, and offering a range of general medical services and specialties, including general and minor surgeries.
  • SEKEM Schools
    Schools established by SEKEM Development Foundation, including kindergartens, elementary and primary schools, and schools for children with special needs.
  • Vocational training
    Providing trainees with vocational and technical skills to support their knowledge acquisition and promote self-reliance. Courses are tailored to match job market demands.

Financials

Funding model

  • Programme related investment

Primary funders

  • SEKEM

Funding source

  • Private

Operations

Key staff

  • Helmy Abouleish, Managing director & chairman

Board members

  • Helmy Abouleish, Chair
  • Heather Henyon
  • Jakob Müller
  • Matti Spiecker
  • Elfrieke van Galen
  • Konstanze Abouleish
  • Ahmed Abu Ali
  • Christophe Floride
  • Rembert Biemond

Contact details