Egypt’s Takaful programme was launched in January 2015, as the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) component of the broader Takaful and Karama (T&K) programme, a cornerstone social protection measure by the Government of Egypt. Takaful (meaning Solidarity in Arabic provides a basic monthly transfer to poor households with children aimed at reducing poverty and improving human development. It includes additional support for up to three children that varies by age and school grade. Households must comply with health conditionalities, including three visits to a health unit per year, and education conditionalities, requiring at least 80 percent school attendance. These conditionalities encourage families to keep their children in school and utilize health care.
The programme uses a dual targeting mechanism: Geographical Targeting identifies governorates with high poverty incidence using poverty maps, and a Proxy Means Testing (PMT) is used to identify poor households in the selected districts. The PMT uses poverty predictors from the 2012–2013 Household Income, Expenditure and Consumption Survey (HIECS).
Under this programme, households receive a basic monthly transfer of EGP325 with additional support provided for up to three children per household:
- Basic allowance for a family with 3 children receiving support: EGP584
- Basic allowance for a family with 2 children receiving support: EGP648
- Basic allowance for a family whose children are over 18 years of age: EGP648
Child-related allowances:
- Child up to 6 years of age: EGP94
- Child in primary education: EGP125
- Child in preparatory (lower secondary) education: EGP156
- Child in secondary education: EGP219
- Child in university education: EGP375
Implemented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) and co-financed by the government and the World Bank, Takaful is a national, targeted social safety net and one of Egypt’s largest investments in human capital development.
Takaful & Karama Programme (TKP) has experienced rapid expansion. As of December 2023, the TKP programme has achieved the following results: 4.67 million households enrolled (of which, 75 percent are women); around 17 million direct and indirect beneficiaries. Also, 90 percent of Takaful households comply with the health conditionality of three health unit visits per year; 77 percent of Takaful households comply with the education conditionality of 80 percent school attendance; and 100 percent of beneficiaries are paid through electronic means. (World Bank, 2024)
The Takaful & Karama Programme has been institutionalized within the government of Egypt through a legislative decree and a dedicated budget line in the national budget which has been steadily growing from EGP 3.6 billion ($ 71.7 million) in 2015 to EGP 41 billion ($ 81.4 million) in 2024. The project is supported by two International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loans totaling $900 million. The project has also received parallel financing in the amount of approximately $3 million through the United Kingdom Trust Fund over the course of its implementation. The project also received a small contribution from the Nordic Trust Fund (to support disability assessments) and from the Partnership for Economic Inclusion (to support FORSA). (World Bank, 2024)
The governance of Egypt's Takaful and Karama (T&K) programme is best characterized as a centrally implemented, nationally targeted social safety net programme with international co-financing. This structure is typical for managing large-scale, poverty-alleviating policies in middle-income countries. The programme operates under a highly centralized governance model, which ensures the uniform application of rules and benefits across all 27 governorates. The primary implementing and administrative authority is the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS), a central government agency. The programme's design, management, and rapid expansion are driven nationally, reflecting strong commitment and "buy-in" from the Egyptian government, which co-finances the initiative.
A crucial aspect of T&K governance is its co-financing by the World Bank (through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development). The World Bank's involvement provides substantial financial resources and mandates adherence to international standards for monitoring, evaluation, and project management. This partnership often includes a dedicated Technical Assistance (TA) component, which focuses on institutional capacity building, ensuring a focus on best practices, data integrity, and continuous system improvement (e.g., strengthening the Proxy Means Test or Grievance Redress Mechanism).
Finally, while centrally managed, the effective governance model recognizes the necessity of local oversight to ensure accountability on the ground. Lessons learned from implementation point to the importance of establishing local governance structures, such as social protection committees. These committees empower communities to monitor the assistance and promote local accountability, ensuring the programme functions effectively at the beneficiary level.
The Unified National Registry (UNR) system in Egypt functions as the central Management Information System (MIS) for social protection and related programmes. It was specifically created to connect and harmonize information from several major databases, which include the Food Subsidy System, the Takaful and Karama (T&K) Programme, Social Pensions, General Pensions, and the Ministry of Education.
Impact evaluation report: Egypt’s Takaful Cash Transfer Program: Second round report. IFPRI, 2022.
Findings: Beneficiary households own more assets in general, and importantly, they own more productive and livestock assets. Specifically, households invested in tractors, plows, and irrigation. There are statistically significant differences between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries with regards to their children of primary school age. Beneficiaries’ children were almost 9 percentage points more likely to be enrolled in school and children of preparatory school age were 21 percentage points more likely to be enrolled in school than non-beneficiaries. Further, we see improvements in attendance rates among secondary school children , primarily girls.
Findings: The evaluation found the Takaful component’s performance to be highly positive across several metrics. In terms of impact, the programme substantially increased programme graduate’s consumption by 7.3% to 8.4%, a rate comparable to other successful international cash transfer programmes. This improved consumption directly led to an improved quality of diets, evidenced by significant increases in spending on higher-value food groups (fruits, meat, and poultry) and a positive effect on children's nutritional status. The programme also successfully encouraged investment in human capital, resulting in increased household spending on school supplies and transportation.
1. Cost-Effectiveness and Redistribution: Well-designed CT programmes have proven to be a cost-effective and efficient alternative to poorly targeted subsidies. They are effective at redistributing income to the poor and improving their living conditions.
2. Targeting Efficiency: International experience, reinforced by Egypt's programme, confirms that targeted CT programmes are an efficient way to reach the poorest and most needy households.
3. Harnessing Conditionality (CCTs): Adding co-responsibilities (conditions) can induce positive behavioral changes and increase the utilization of social services, particularly education and health care, by removing financial barriers or addressing lack of awareness.
4. Empowerment through the mother: Providing the funds directly to the mother of the family ensures the money is more likely to be spent on items beneficial to the children and on nutritious food, positively influencing intra-household resource allocation.
5. The Role of Technical Assistance (TA): Integrating a relatively small TA or investment component into results-based projects is essential. This component allows implementing partners and funders (like the World Bank) to build and improve the operational systems necessary to efficiently deliver the bulk of the financing through CTs.
6. Automation and Transparency: Automation is critical for enhancing transparency and strengthening Management Information Systems (MIS). Constant data updates and exchanges among verification partners help combat corruption and ensure programme integrity.
7. Harmonization of Policies: To build an integrated and comprehensive social safety net, harmonization of policies and programmes targeting the poor is essential.
8. Secured Delivery System: Implementing a secured system that assures cash delivery to beneficiary accounts within a pre-established time limit (e.g., via secured EMV cards) is necessary for reliable service. Furthermore, maintaining an ineligible registry (like for un-enrolled Solidarity pensioners) allows for future checking and contact based on PMT scoring.
9. Generating Ownership: Government buy-in and financial contribution are crucial for the sustainability of a programme. Generating champions of actors of change is vital for programme adoption.
10. Community and Social Accountability: Establishing social accountability committees empowers communities to monitor social assistance and hold accountable those who misuse it.
The Takaful and Karama programme does not have a single official website, but the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) is the primary implementing agency, and its website is the most authoritative source for information on the programme: https://www.moss.gov.eg/ar-eg/Pages/advert-details.aspx?AdID=18
SDG 1 - No poverty
- Target 1.1 - By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere.
- Indicator 1.1.1 - Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)
- Target 1.2 - By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
- Indicator 1.2.1 - Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age
- Indicator 1.2.2 - Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
- Target 1.3 - Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
- Indicator 1.3.1 - Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable
SDG 2 - Zero hunger
- Target 2.1 - By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
- Indicator 2.1.1 - Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 2.1.2 - Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
- Target 2.2 - By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
- Indicator 2.2.1 - Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
- Indicator 2.2.2 - Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)
- Indicator 2.2.3 - Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.1 - By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
- Indicator 3.1.1 - Maternal mortality ratio.
- Indicator 3.1.2 - Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel.
- Target 3.8 - Achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
- Indicator 3.8.1 - Coverage of essential health services (defined as the average coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access, general and safe).
- Indicator 3.8.2 - Proportion of population with large household expenditures on health as a share of total household expenditure or income.
SDG 5 - Gender Equality
- Target 5.4 - Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Indicator 5.4.1 - Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location.
SDG 1 – No poverty
- Target 1.1 – By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere.
- Indicator 1.1.1 – Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)
- Target 1.2 – By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
- Indicator 1.2.1 – Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age
- Indicator 1.2.2 – Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
- Target 1.3 – Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
- Indicator 1.3.1 – Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
- Target 2.1 – By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
- Indicator 2.1.1 – Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 2.1.2 – Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
- Target 2.2 – By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
- Indicator 2.2.1 – Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
- Indicator 2.2.2 – Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)
- Indicator 2.2.3 – Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.1 – By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
- Indicator 3.1.1 – Maternal mortality ratio.
- Indicator 3.1.2 – Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel.
- Target 3.8 – Achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
- Indicator 3.8.1 – Coverage of essential health services (defined as the average coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access, general and safe).
- Indicator 3.8.2 – Proportion of population with large household expenditures on health as a share of total household expenditure or income.
SDG 5 – Gender Equality
- Target 5.4 – Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Indicator 5.4.1 – Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location.
Egypt’s Takaful programme was launched in January 2015, as the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) component of the broader Takaful and Karama (T&K) programme, a cornerstone social protection measure by the Government of Egypt. Takaful (meaning Solidarity in Arabic provides a basic monthly transfer to poor households with children aimed at reducing poverty and improving human development. It includes additional support for up to three children that varies by age and school grade. Households must comply with health conditionalities, including three visits to a health unit per year, and education conditionalities, requiring at least 80 percent school attendance. These conditionalities encourage families to keep their children in school and utilize health care.
The programme uses a dual targeting mechanism: Geographical Targeting identifies governorates with high poverty incidence using poverty maps, and a Proxy Means Testing (PMT) is used to identify poor households in the selected districts. The PMT uses poverty predictors from the 2012–2013 Household Income, Expenditure and Consumption Survey (HIECS).
Under this programme, households receive a basic monthly transfer of EGP325 with additional support provided for up to three children per household:
- Basic allowance for a family with 3 children receiving support: EGP584
- Basic allowance for a family with 2 children receiving support: EGP648
- Basic allowance for a family whose children are over 18 years of age: EGP648
Child-related allowances:
- Child up to 6 years of age: EGP94
- Child in primary education: EGP125
- Child in preparatory (lower secondary) education: EGP156
- Child in secondary education: EGP219
- Child in university education: EGP375
Implemented by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) and co-financed by the government and the World Bank, Takaful is a national, targeted social safety net and one of Egypt’s largest investments in human capital development.
1. Cost-Effectiveness and Redistribution: Well-designed CT programmes have proven to be a cost-effective and efficient alternative to poorly targeted subsidies. They are effective at redistributing income to the poor and improving their living conditions.
2. Targeting Efficiency: International experience, reinforced by Egypt’s programme, confirms that targeted CT programmes are an efficient way to reach the poorest and most needy households.
3. Harnessing Conditionality (CCTs): Adding co-responsibilities (conditions) can induce positive behavioral changes and increase the utilization of social services, particularly education and health care, by removing financial barriers or addressing lack of awareness.
4. Empowerment through the mother: Providing the funds directly to the mother of the family ensures the money is more likely to be spent on items beneficial to the children and on nutritious food, positively influencing intra-household resource allocation.
5. The Role of Technical Assistance (TA): Integrating a relatively small TA or investment component into results-based projects is essential. This component allows implementing partners and funders (like the World Bank) to build and improve the operational systems necessary to efficiently deliver the bulk of the financing through CTs.
6. Automation and Transparency: Automation is critical for enhancing transparency and strengthening Management Information Systems (MIS). Constant data updates and exchanges among verification partners help combat corruption and ensure programme integrity.
7. Harmonization of Policies: To build an integrated and comprehensive social safety net, harmonization of policies and programmes targeting the poor is essential.
8. Secured Delivery System: Implementing a secured system that assures cash delivery to beneficiary accounts within a pre-established time limit (e.g., via secured EMV cards) is necessary for reliable service. Furthermore, maintaining an ineligible registry (like for un-enrolled Solidarity pensioners) allows for future checking and contact based on PMT scoring.
9. Generating Ownership: Government buy-in and financial contribution are crucial for the sustainability of a programme. Generating champions of actors of change is vital for programme adoption.
10. Community and Social Accountability: Establishing social accountability committees empowers communities to monitor social assistance and hold accountable those who misuse it.
Access to basic education; Access to basic health care; Child and family support/benefits; Unconditional cash transfer
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
United Nations Children’s Fund
International Labour Organization
The governance of Egypt’s Takaful and Karama (T&K) programme is best characterized as a centrally implemented, nationally targeted social safety net programme with international co-financing. This structure is typical for managing large-scale, poverty-alleviating policies in middle-income countries. The programme operates under a highly centralized governance model, which ensures the uniform application of rules and benefits across all 27 governorates. The primary implementing and administrative authority is the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS), a central government agency. The programme’s design, management, and rapid expansion are driven nationally, reflecting strong commitment and “buy-in” from the Egyptian government, which co-finances the initiative.
A crucial aspect of T&K governance is its co-financing by the World Bank (through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development). The World Bank’s involvement provides substantial financial resources and mandates adherence to international standards for monitoring, evaluation, and project management. This partnership often includes a dedicated Technical Assistance (TA) component, which focuses on institutional capacity building, ensuring a focus on best practices, data integrity, and continuous system improvement (e.g., strengthening the Proxy Means Test or Grievance Redress Mechanism).
Finally, while centrally managed, the effective governance model recognizes the necessity of local oversight to ensure accountability on the ground. Lessons learned from implementation point to the importance of establishing local governance structures, such as social protection committees. These committees empower communities to monitor the assistance and promote local accountability, ensuring the programme functions effectively at the beneficiary level.
Takaful & Karama Programme (TKP) has experienced rapid expansion. As of December 2023, the TKP programme has achieved the following results: 4.67 million households enrolled (of which, 75 percent are women); around 17 million direct and indirect beneficiaries. Also, 90 percent of Takaful households comply with the health conditionality of three health unit visits per year; 77 percent of Takaful households comply with the education conditionality of 80 percent school attendance; and 100 percent of beneficiaries are paid through electronic means. (World Bank, 2024)
The Takaful & Karama Programme has been institutionalized within the government of Egypt through a legislative decree and a dedicated budget line in the national budget which has been steadily growing from EGP 3.6 billion ($ 71.7 million) in 2015 to EGP 41 billion ($ 81.4 million) in 2024. The project is supported by two International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loans totaling $900 million. The project has also received parallel financing in the amount of approximately $3 million through the United Kingdom Trust Fund over the course of its implementation. The project also received a small contribution from the Nordic Trust Fund (to support disability assessments) and from the Partnership for Economic Inclusion (to support FORSA). (World Bank, 2024)
The Unified National Registry (UNR) system in Egypt functions as the central Management Information System (MIS) for social protection and related programmes. It was specifically created to connect and harmonize information from several major databases, which include the Food Subsidy System, the Takaful and Karama (T&K) Programme, Social Pensions, General Pensions, and the Ministry of Education.
The Takaful and Karama programme does not have a single official website, but the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS) is the primary implementing agency, and its website is the most authoritative source for information on the programme: https://www.moss.gov.eg/ar-eg/Pages/advert-details.aspx?AdID=18