dr. khaled abdelhalim works at the egyptian ministry of local development. khaled: in upper egypt, it's a big struggle to make a living. there is a great lack of investment, which actually, it's not a matter of lack of natural resources or economic opportunities. it's just a matter of cultivating these opportunities. daljit: gamal khalaf also lives in upper egypt, in the village of bartibat. a respected local leader and father of three. gamal serves on the village human security forum part of the hayat project, one of six new grassroots community groups designed for locals, both men and woman, young and old, to take the lead in their own community's development. daljit: the hayat project aims to empower communities with multiple interventions that support people's human security in the broadest sense-- from jobs, to health and education. gamal's group moved quickly to address the need for blackboards in schools and improved water connections. khaled: it gives people hope that things can change, even in the smaller scale. so it's not all national planning. it'

dr. khaled abdelhalim works at the egyptian ministry of local development. khaled: in upper egypt, it's a big struggle to make a living. there is a great lack of investment, which actually, it's not a matter of lack of natural resources or economic opportunities. it's just a matter of cultivating these opportunities. daljit: gamal khalaf also lives in upper egypt, in the village of bartibat. a respected local leader and father of three. gamal serves on the village human security forum part of the hayat project, one of six new grassroots community groups designed for locals, both men and woman, young and old, to take the lead in their own community's development. daljit: the hayat project aims to empower communities with multiple interventions that support people's human security in the broadest sense-- from jobs, to health and education. gamal's group moved quickly to address the need for blackboards in schools and improved water connections. khaled: it gives people hope that things can change, even in the smaller scale. so it's not all national planning. it'