Schneider Electric and Sawiris Foundation announced the launch of a strategic partnership aimed at implementing sustainable and comprehensive development projects for the most vulnerable communities in Upper Egypt, Invest-Gate reports.
The partnership is based on strengthening infrastructure, improving access to essential services targeting the water, energy, and food sectors, supporting sustainable livelihoods, improving learning outcomes by empowering youth with the skills needed for future job opportunities, and facilitating access to suitable employment opportunities for youth, contributing to achieving Egypt Vision 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Agreement Signing
H.E. Ambassador Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France to the Arab Republic of Egypt, witnessed the signing of the agreement between Mr. Sebastien Riez, CEO of Schneider Electric for North East Africa and the Levant, and Eng. Naguib Sawiris, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, in the presence of Ms. Laila Hosny, Executive Director of the Foundation.
“Water is Life” Project
The “Water is Life” project is the first initiative to be implemented under this strategic partnership. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the “Water is Life” Foundation, aiming to improve access to safe drinking water in the most vulnerable communities in Upper Egypt through an evidence-based approach and community participation.
Second Phase of the Project
Based on the positive results achieved during the pilot phase of the project from 2023 to 2025, the second phase (2026–2029) enters an expansion stage in partnership with Schneider Electric, targeting the rehabilitation of 50 community units for water treatment and purification, allowing access to more than 25,000 families in the governorates of Minya, Assiut, Sohag, and Qena. The new phase also includes introducing smart monitoring systems that allow real-time monitoring of water quality and operational efficiency, in addition to integrating renewable energy solutions to enhance service sustainability and reduce environmental impact.
Evaluation Study Results
Evaluation studies conducted in partnership with J-PAL MENA showed that household adoption rates of filtered water reached 91% when barriers to accessing the service were removed. The results also showed a 61% higher willingness to pay for filtered water compared to other alternatives, confirming the model’s effectiveness and scalability.
Solar Energy Solutions
The project also includes installing solar energy systems with a total capacity of 84 kilowatts, at a rate of 12 kilowatts for each station, including the development of 6 stations and the establishment of a new station fully powered by solar energy. This is expected to help avoid approximately 69 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, in addition to providing training and qualification programs for youth and local staff to operate and maintain these systems.
Schneider Electric’s Technological Role
In this context, Schneider Electric Egypt, as a technology partner, contributes to supporting the development of community water services through integrating clean energy solutions and digital transformation. These solutions include the Access to Energy program, EcoStruxure platform, Internet of Things technologies, and remote sensing and control systems, which enhance energy efficiency and enable performance monitoring and operational decision-making based on data.
Technologies Used in the Project
The development work relies on a range of Schneider Electric technologies, including ATV320 Solar Drives systems, EcoStruxure PME energy management software, smart meters, digital connection gateways, in addition to electrical protection and control equipment. This system enables performance monitoring, environmental impact measurement, and remote control of systems, enhancing integration between water and energy services.
Statement by the French Ambassador to Egypt
In this context, H.E. Ambassador Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France to the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated: “The signing of this memorandum, through which Schneider Electric and Sawiris Foundation unite to build a better future, is clear evidence of the leading expertise of French companies and their commitment to supporting social and regional development efforts in Egypt as a key partner in this journey.”
Statement by Schneider Electric CEO
Commenting on the partnership, Sebastien Riez, CEO of Schneider Electric for North East Africa and the Levant, stated: “Sustainability represents the true core of all our work at Schneider Electric. In light of the impact of climate change on Egypt and the need to achieve efficient use of water resources, the need for innovative solutions in the most vulnerable areas becomes essential. Hence the importance of our advanced technological solutions that enable us to monitor, measure, and remotely control the sustainable impact of projects, ensuring a tangible environmental and social transformation for local communities.” He added: “We are proud to cooperate with Sawiris Foundation, and we look forward to expanding this positive impact across Egypt with the aim of empowering youth to actively participate in the transformation of the energy sector through education and entrepreneurship programs aimed at bridging the skills gap, addressing the gender gap, and ensuring the right of access to energy for all.”
Statement by Eng. Naguib Sawiris
For his part, Eng. Naguib Sawiris, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sawiris Foundation, confirmed: “We are proud of what our long-standing partnership with the French government and French entities has achieved over the past years, resulting in the implementation of several development initiatives that combined innovation, sustainability, and measurable impact. Today, we are pleased to welcome Schneider Electric as a new strategic partner that adds leading global expertise in clean energy, technology, and sustainability to this journey. This partnership reflects our strong belief that addressing the most complex development challenges requires integration between development institutions, the private sector, and international partners, allowing the development of more efficient, sustainable, and scalable solutions. We look forward to this partnership contributing to improving quality of life and creating better opportunities for the most vulnerable communities in Upper Egypt.”
Statement by the Executive Director of Sawiris Foundation
Ms. Laila Hosny, Executive Director of Sawiris Foundation, added: “The pilot phase of the ‘Water is Life’ project proved that evidence-based solutions, when built around the needs of local communities, are capable of achieving sustainable and scalable impact. The studies and evaluations accompanying the project enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of beneficiaries’ needs and develop a more efficient and effective model for providing safe drinking water services. Today, this partnership represents a new step toward expanding this impact by combining the field expertise of the ‘Water is Life’ Foundation, the evidence-based approach of Sawiris Foundation, and the advanced technologies provided by Schneider Electric in the fields of clean energy and digital transformation, enhancing service sustainability and increasing its ability to reach more families in the most vulnerable communities.”
Sawiris Foundation’s Development Role
Sawiris Foundation is considered one of the first donor development institutions in Egypt. Over the past 25 years, the foundation has worked to address the most urgent issues facing marginalized groups, foremost among them poverty, unemployment, and limited access to quality education opportunities. It has also contributed to funding and implementing many development programs in partnership with the government and private sectors, civil society institutions, and international organizations across 24 Egyptian governorates, with a special focus on remote villages and the most vulnerable communities, contributing to enhancing development opportunities and improving quality of life for the targeted groups.
Future Vision of the Initiative
This development initiative establishes a new phase that reinforces Schneider Electric’s efforts in leading an integrated sustainability model based primarily on knowledge transfer and localizing green technology deep within the most vulnerable rural communities in Egypt. Through this momentum, the company aims to present a future vision that effectively integrates energy efficiency, social justice, and environmental protection, ensuring the empowerment of young local talents and building more resilient communities capable of sustainable prosperity, in direct integration with the national targets of Egypt’s sustainable vision.