Ezbet Khairalla

After extensive hands on research within the greater Cairo area, Peace and Plenty decided to focus its resources on developing the unplanned community of Ezbet Khairalla, which was a piece of empty land only forty years ago.

Today it is one of the largest unplanned communities in Egypt, with a population close to 650,000 inhabitants. Ezbet Khairalla is a sprawling area of about 12 square kilometers (480 feddans) on a rocky plateau that lies in the southern part of Cairo. It lies between Masr El Kadima to the North, Dar Al Salam to the South, the Nile to the West and El Basateen to the East.

Demographic statistics on Ezbet Khairalla were not available anywhere, so with the help of the Ministry of Environment and Cairo Governorate we conducted a door to door survey to a sample of 150,000 residents. The survey indicates that the population of Ezbet Khairalla is approximately 650,000, 45% males to 55% females. There are 775 mostly unpaved roads, 12,000 shops and 23 registered NGOs. Most of the residents are laborers. There are several workshops that provide employment such as ironmongers, carpentry, metal works, upholstery and glass blowing. Many of the residents are construction workers, with minimal wages that barely support their families.

The majority of the residents of Ezbet Khairalla migrated from other parts of Egypt in the hope of finding work and a better standard of living. Approximately 70% came from Upper Egypt, while 30% came from the countryside. In addition, there is a sizable number of residents who worked in Arab countries and returned with savings, and elected to build homes in Ezbet Khairalla due to minimal construction cost, no building permits nor land titles.

Although Ezbet Khairalla is located within the boundaries of Cairo, most basic services are missing, and Peace &Plenty realized very quickly that the problems facing the community are too big to be solved on an individual basis, and that a concerted effort is needed from the community, the government and the private sector to make a viable difference. Not only are basic services such as sewage and garbage collection missing, but also inadequate education, poor health and social services and bleak job outlooks make it imperative to take a stand and try to make a difference. This densely populated area is fertile soil for breeding crime and social unrest. It is the hope of Peace & Plenty to mobilize all available resources to provide the residents of the community with the tools necessary to achieve a sustainable, healthy, and productive livelihood.