The National Bank of Egypt (NBE) has announced the handover of boats to fishermen in Luxor Governorate under its "Boats of Livelihood" initiative, which aims to support and economically empower fishermen by providing 100 fishing boats, fully equipped with all fishing tools and supplies, to 100 beneficiary fishermen. The initiative helps create jobs and stable sources of income, enabling beneficiaries to become self-reliant and improve their families' living standards. It is run in partnership with the Sona'a El Khair Foundation for Development, a member of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work.

The handover was attended by Eng. Abdel Muttalib Emara, Governor of Luxor; Dina Abou Taleb, Head of Marketing and Community Development Group at NBE; Mohamed Awara, Community Development Manager at NBE; Hany Abdel Fattah, CEO of the Sona'a El Khair Foundation; Dr. Hiam El-Tabbakh, member of the foundation's advisory board; and Dr. Mohamed Abdel Galil, the foundation's Deputy CEO and Head of Projects.

Eng. Abdel Muttalib Emara expressed his appreciation for the fishermen and encouraged them to keep working and put in more effort to increase output, and to draw on their experience to pass on knowledge to and train new generations of fishermen, helping to support the sector and boost production.

The governor also thanked NBE for the partnership and the support it has given the fishermen, stressing the importance of continued cooperation between different parties to achieve a lasting impact and support families and local communities.

Dina Abou Taleb said NBE's participation in the "Boats of Livelihood" initiative reflects the bank's belief in the importance of its social role in supporting development efforts and economically empowering target groups. She explained that the bank's involvement is part of its commitment to supporting economic empowerment and sustainable community development through initiatives designed to create real, lasting impact that goes beyond direct assistance to providing the means of production that enable people to work and earn a sustainable income. She noted that providing all the necessary fishing tools strengthens the sustainability of production, supporting sustainability and the fishermen's ability to become economically empowered. She added that through its community initiatives NBE seeks an impact beyond direct support by helping to create real job opportunities and sustainable sources of income, with a positive effect on beneficiaries, their families and the communities they live in.

Mohamed Awara said the "Boats of Livelihood" initiative is a practical example of the bank's vision for economic empowerment, providing real means of production that help fishermen practise their trade and secure a sustainable income. He explained that the initiative's impact is not limited to the direct beneficiaries but extends to their families and the local community, helping to raise living standards and strengthen economic and social stability. He stressed that the bank places investing in and empowering people among its top priorities in community development, and noted that the initiative underlines NBE's commitment to widening its social impact through sustainable initiatives that support the most vulnerable groups and strengthen their ability to work, produce and be self-reliant, in line with the state's drive for sustainable development and economic empowerment.

Hany Abdel Fattah said the handover of the boats is part of the foundation's commitment to implementing its strategic plans to support the most vulnerable groups, in cooperation with major economic and banking institutions through social responsibility programmes.

He explained that the "Boats of Livelihood" initiative aims to help small-scale fishermen develop their skills and secure a sustainable source of income for themselves and their families by providing modern motorised fishing boats with complete fishing equipment, handed over entirely free of charge, with priority given to those who support large families and do not already own a fishing boat.

The CEO of the Sona'a El Khair Foundation for Development noted that this cooperation is an important step in the efforts of the National Alliance's member institutions to support the most vulnerable groups and expand opportunities for sustainable economic empowerment.