Mennonite Economic Development Associates PPIC-Work Promoting and Protecting the Interests of Children who Work

Key elements of PPIC-Work  WHAT?  WHO?  HOW?

PPIC-Work: What is it? Promoting and Protecting the Interests of Children Who Work Model: indirect loans to working children Goals:  Improving working conditions  Improving learning opportunities

PPIC-Work: Who is the target?  Economically active children and youth aged 6-18  Cairo, Aswan and Qena  Girls and boys employed in micro and small enterprises receiving loans from microfinance institutions (MFIs)  Working to help businesses expand

Challenges of Working with Urban Youth  Working children: doubly disadvantaged under the legal system  Laws that prevent children from working are ineffective  They remove possible avenues of protection (e.g., unions)

PPIC-Work: How does it work?  Through MFIs  Loan officers: long and positive relationships with business owners – can be leveraged  Credit: means and motivation for making improvements in the business (Dual purpose loan)  Microfinance programs are self- financing – sustainability

Addressing the Problem through MFIs  Training packages for loan officers to improve working conditions for children: –Hazard identification and mitigation –Child rights –Gender equality

Improving Workplace Conditions  Identify the hazards (with business owner)  Connect hazards to workplace productivity  Negotiate solution, possibly involving credit  Follow up

Improving Learning Opportunities  Education Support Program – helping working children stay in school  Computer Game – business skills and business ethics  Learning Through Work – life, business and technical skills on the job

Youth Meeting Challenges  Working children have also received training on gender and child rights  Act in own interest –Negotiated better working conditions –Female participant – negotiated with father and brothers to have a career –Change to safer sectors