Springboard sets goal of building 200 girls' schools in Egypt
Egypt launched its National Girls' Education Initiative in 2003 with the goal of providing quality education to underprivileged girls living in remote rural areas who are deprived of educational opportunities due to geographic, social and economic realities and who have little opportunity for a better future.

Springboard -- Educating the Future is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization supporting Egypt's National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM). Springboard, in collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, is raising funds and supervising construction of one-room school buildings in communities identified by NCCM that have high rates of out-of-school girls.

Apache Corporation built the first school in Abu Sir, a small community about 10 miles south of the Giza Pyramids, in 2004. Apache continues to provide construction oversight and administrative support for the project.

When the new school year begins on September 17, 2006, Springboard-sponsored schools will have 98 classes in session. An additional 102 schools sites are currently in various construction phases and are due for openings October through December 2006 to reach the 200-goal. Upon completion, the schools are gifted to NCCM, local NGOs, community-parent school leadership committees and Ministry of Education for on-going operation and management. Springboard and its generous supporters will remain involved with the 200 schools through special "adopt-a-school" sponsorship programs to provide encouragement and enrichment for students and teachers.

Springboard hopes to build as many schools as generosity allows, and invites you to be part of building blocks of hope and future for Egyptian girls, providing them with this window of opportunity that will change their lives forever.