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The public and private sectors have joined forces to launch the program, aiming to enhance digital and financial inclusion for rural women.
The "Maaki" program aims to empower women in rural areas and promote digital and financial inclusion.

Vodafone Egypt announced the launch of the "Maaki" program to empower rural women economically and socially. This program is part of its ongoing efforts to integrate technology into building an inclusive and sustainable digital society and its commitment to bridging the technology gap between rural and urban areas.
The "Maaki" program aims to positively impact the lives of 1,000,000 rural women over three years. Vodafone Egypt designed it to promote digital and financial inclusion and empower rural women by providing them with the skills and tools to benefit from Vodafone Cash services and participate in digital education to expand their effective contribution to the digital economy. The program launch event witnessed the signing of several cooperation protocols with the Ma3aki program's partners. The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) is contributing to women's entrepreneurial skills development efforts after the program's first phase concludes. Samsung Electronics Egypt is contributing to enhancing digital empowerment by providing smartphones to the program's ambassadors. Care Egypt is implementing the program on the ground in targeted rural areas.

The cooperation protocols were signed by Mr. Mohamed Abdallah, CEO and Managing Director of Vodafone Egypt and Regional Head of International Markets at Vodacom Group; Mr. Bassel Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency; Mr. Byungmo (Theo) Shin, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Egypt; and Ms. Vivian Thabet, CEO of Care Egypt for Development. Mohamed Abdallah, CEO and Managing Director of Vodafone Egypt and Regional Head of International Markets at Vodafone Group, stated: "As part of the public-private partnership, the "Maaki" program was launched to empower women in rural areas. The program reflects Vodafone Egypt's commitment to bridging the digital gap facing rural women, as an important step towards reshaping the future of rural Egypt and enhancing women's participation in the digital economy." He added: "The program was launched to empower women as drivers of positive change within their communities and open up new economic horizons for them. At Vodafone Egypt, we believe that technology is a driving force towards achieving sustainable and comprehensive development, and that the telecommunications sector is the cornerstone upon which digital transformation is built across various sectors and communities." Basil Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), said, "The 'Ma3ki' program, implemented in cooperation with Vodafone Egypt, Samsung Electronics Egypt, and the Care Egypt Foundation for Development, aligns with the vision of the political leadership and the directives of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister and Chairman of the MSMEDA Board of Directors, to expand digital transformation and support women, especially in Upper Egypt." He noted that the joint program will provide women with training in modern technology and qualify them to benefit from MSMEDA services and support them in establishing new small businesses. He added that the agency aims, through this cooperation, to train and qualify one million Egyptian women and encourage them to pursue entrepreneurship and establish small and micro enterprises."

In this context, Byungmo (Theo) Shin, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Egypt, praised: "At Samsung Electronics Egypt, we are proud of our partnership in the 'Ma3ki' initiative, which represents a successful model of effective collaboration between the public and private sectors and civil society."
He added: "At Samsung, we believe in purposeful innovation, and our partnership with Vodafone Egypt in the 'Ma3ki' initiative confirms our strategy aimed at achieving real impact." and sustainable. Through this initiative, we aim to empower women in Egypt's underprivileged communities and help them open new horizons towards financial independence and social integration, in line with Egypt's vision for comprehensive and sustainable development."

Commenting on this, Vivian Thabet, CEO of Care Egypt for Development Foundation, said: "At Care Egypt, through years of working with women, we have learned that empowering women means empowering the entire community. "Ma3aki" is not just a project; it's a promise we fulfill every day. Through our partnerships with Vodafone Egypt, the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, we are empowering women with access to digital skills and sustainable income. We are building a scalable model built on trust and capacity. We don't just observe change, we create it, hand in hand with every woman we believe in and walk the path with."

The "Ma'aki" program is part of Vodafone Egypt's ongoing efforts to support women and financial inclusion by providing digital tools and knowledge that enhance their economic and social participation. The company places women's empowerment at the heart of its strategy, reaffirming its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthening its position as a key partner in building a more inclusive and sustainable digital society in Egypt.