Advancing Impact: J-PAL MENA welcomes the second cohort of the MENA Scholars Fellowship Program in the development field

Cairo, Egypt 

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the American University in Cairo (J-PAL MENA at AUC) is proud to announce the induction of the second cohort of the MENA Scholars Fellowship following the successful launch of the first cohort of the program, which was launched in 2022. 

Supported by Community Jameel and the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, the fellowship program is a strategic initiative to strengthen regional research capacity for poverty reduction. By fostering a community of researchers skilled in designing and conducting randomized evaluations, the program enhances our understanding of local contexts and extends J-PAL's presence across the MENA region beyond Egypt.

The second round of recruitment for the program received an overwhelming response from a highly competitive pool of applicants from across the MENA region. Following a rigorous selection process, the following six outstanding individuals were chosen to be part of this program:

  • Aya Aboul Hosn (Lebanon), Ph.D student, American University in Washington, DC
  • Karine Moukaddem (Lebanon), Ph.D student, Aix-Marseille School of Economics
  • Merna Ihab (Egypt), Ph.D student, Alexandria University
  • Mona Elsayed (Egypt), Ph.D student, Cairo University
  • Zakaria ELouaourti (Morocco), Ph.D, Cadi Ayyad University
  • Zeinab El Beltagy (Egypt), Ph.D, Cairo University

The program provides fellows with a two-year stipend to support their time participating in fellowship program activities. These activities include working on a randomized evaluation, with mentorship and guidance from J-PAL affiliated professors; becoming a member of the worldwide network of fellows from other J-PAL fellowships, enrolling in MIT’s MicroMasters Program in Data, Economics, and Development Policy, attending training sessions and workshops from J-PAL MENA staff and presenting in J-PAL MENA policy events in the region. 

MSF 2 j-pal mena headshots

Top left to bottom right: Aya Aboul Hosn, Zeinab El Beltagy, Karine Moukaddem, Zakaria ELouaourti, Merna Ihab, and Mona Elsayed.
 

Driving Regional Impact Through Research Excellence: Insights from Leadership Perspective

Ahmed Elsayed, Executive Director at J-PAL MENA: “We are delighted to introduce the second cohort of the MENA Scholars Fellowship Program at J-PAL MENA, featuring six exceptional fellows who exemplify dedication to academic excellence and impactful research. By advancing our understanding of local contexts, the MSF program strengthens J-PAL’s presence across the MENA region beyond Egypt. This program is designed to cultivate a network of regional researchers equipped with the technical expertise to conduct rigorous randomized evaluations of poverty reduction programs. We look forward to supporting these fellows as they embark on their journey and anticipate the significant contributions they will make in the MENA region and beyond.”

Uzma Sulaiman, Associate Director of Community Jameel: “We are pleased to welcome the MENA Scholars Fellowship’s second cohort of outstanding researchers. The fellows’ diverse backgrounds will support them as they learn to rigorously evaluate and advise on policies that have a lasting impact in governments’ efforts to alleviate poverty. Evidence and equity in science are central to our mission at Community Jameel and we are proud to support a second cohort of scholars who will utilize these methods in supporting their respective countries.”

Laila Hosny, Executive Director of Sawiris Foundation: “The MENA Scholars Fellowship (MSF) program at J-PAL MENA provides six exceptional researchers with the opportunity to refine their insights and skills, aimed at improving the lives of Egypt’s most vulnerable communities. We believe knowledge is power and the strongest catalyst for change as we strive to empower agents of change in Egyptian development and fostering an evidence based ecosystem geared towards multidimensional poverty reduction. We are proud to support and be a part of the journey of top-tier Egyptian researchers, equipping them with essential scientific practices that will ultimately empower our entire development community in effective policy making."

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About J-PAL MENA at AUC 

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa (J-PAL MENA) at The American University in Cairo’s Onsi Sawiris School of Business is a regional office established in July 2020, as a part of a larger network of research centers worldwide working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 295 affiliated professors at universities around the world, J-PAL MENA draws on results from randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. We build partnerships with governments, NGOs, donors, and others to share this knowledge, scale up effective programs, and advance evidence-informed decision-making. J-PAL was launched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003 and has regional centers in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. For more information, visit povertyactionlab.org.

About Egypt Impact Lab

The Egypt Impact Lab (EIL), established in 2022, is a strategic initiative of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa (J-PAL MENA) at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation (MPEDIC). EIL is uniquely positioned in MPEDIC’s National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD) to strengthen the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Egypt’s poverty reduction policies by:

  • Conducting randomized evaluations of promising government initiatives.

  • Utilizing research outcomes to inform policy decisions and program scaling.

  • Cultivating a culture of evidence-informed policy-making across government institutions.

About the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at the American University in Cairo 

Boasting an unrivaled reputation as the top private business school in Egypt and one of the best in Africa and the Arab world, AUC’s Onsi Sawiris School of Business is dedicated to transforming the eager and innovative minds of today to become the responsible change agents of tomorrow, all while developing relevance and leadership in an evolving ecosystem. Situated within AUC and enjoying nearly seven decades’ worth of history, the School offers a wide range of programs and activities that extend beyond the classroom to provide a holistic and engaging experiential learning approach. The School’s seal of excellence is the Triple Crown accreditation, which places it among the top 1 percent of educational institutions worldwide to achieve the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Association of MBAs, and the European Quality Improvement System accreditations. 

For more information, visit business.aucegypt.edu/

About The American University in Cairo

Founded in 1919, The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education and the center of the intellectual, social, and cultural life of the Arab world. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions, and study-abroad programs. The University offers 40 undergraduate, 52 master’s, and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world. An independent, nonprofit, politically non-partisan, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States. For more information about the university news and events, follow us on. For more information about the university news and events, follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/aucegypt and Twitter @AUC.

About Community Jameel

Community Jameel advances science and learning for communities to thrive. An independent, global organisation, Community Jameel was launched in 2003 to continue the tradition of philanthropy and community service established by the Jameel family of Saudi Arabia in 1945. Community Jameel supports scientists, humanitarians, technologists and creatives to understand and address pressing human challenges in areas such as climate change, health and education. The work enabled and supported by Community Jameel has led to significant breakthroughs and achievements, including the MIT Jameel Clinic’s discovery of the new antibiotics halicin and abaucin, critical modelling of the spread of COVID-19 conducted by the Jameel Institute at Imperial College London, and a Nobel Prize-winning experimental approach to alleviating global poverty championed by the co-founders of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at MIT. For information, please visit: communityjameel.org

About Sawiris Foundation for Social Development

SFSD is one of Egypt’s pioneering donor foundations. Established in 2001 by the Sawiris family, the foundation promotes and supports innovative, philanthropic solutions targeting comprehensive and sustainable development in Egypt. Over the past 23 years, SFSD has addressed critical challenges facing marginalized Egyptians, including poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, and limited access to quality education.

Through partnerships with the government, private sector, and civil society, SFSD funds programs designed to achieve sustainable development. By creating thousands of job opportunities, providing quality education, and ensuring access to essential services, SFSD has positively impacted the lives of nearly one million Egyptians across 24 governorates, with a focus on the most underserved villages. To date, its total investments have exceeded EGP 3 billion. For information, please visit: www.sawirisfoundation.org | www.facebook.com/SawirisFoundation | www.twitter.com/SawirisSFS