Youth Leading Local Action (YLLA)

Youth Leading Local Action (YLLA) is a youth empowerment initiative led by Waqfeyat Al Maadi Community Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland And European Union. It supports youth aged 14–25 from marginalized areas in Maadi, Torah, Tebbin, Helwan, and Maasara.

The project launched with large-scale recreational events in Torah and Helwan—including football tournaments, artistic showcases, and community festivals—that reached over 500 young people and introduced YLLA to five underserved communities. From 530 applications, 150 promising young leaders were selected through transparent and inclusive criteria to lead the next stages of the project.

Through hands-on training, grassroots engagement, and the launch of Egypt’s first pilot of the YouthBank model, YLLA was building a new generation of active citizens and young social leaders.