Ehaab Abdou

Advisor, Middle East Youth Initiative

Ehaab Abdou joined the Middle East Youth Initiative in July 2009 as an advisor to develop and lead an action-oriented social entrepreneurship program. Building on the Initiative’s extensive research and policy work in the region over the past four years, he is now leading this agenda to: a) generate both foundational and cutting-edge knowledge on the state of social entrepreneurship in the Middle East; b) explore and develop mechanisms to mobilize effective social investments; and c) advocate for the integration of social entrepreneurship in the national and regional policy agenda of Middle Eastern countries.

Ehaab is co-founder and board member of the Egyptian youth-led NGO Nahdet El Mahrousa, the first incubator for innovative social enterprises in Egypt and the Middle East. In 2004, Ehaab became one of the first social entrepreneurs in the Arab region to be selected as an Ashoka fellow. Previously, Ehaab served as president of Fat’het Kheir, an Egyptian youth-led voluntary organization. He is also founder and board member of the Egyptian Federation of Youth NGOs. In 2007, Ehaab founded the Ana Masry (I’m Egyptian) musical band, which aims to promote the values of tolerance and diversity, national unity and citizenship in Egypt and across the region through a unique fusion of Sufi chanting, Christian hymns, Nubian singing as well as Ehaab’s own lyrics and music.