ENID operates as a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project under the umbrella of Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. ENID is implementing a set of four highly integrated programs, each of which has the potential to impact on job creation and poverty reduction in both the medium and longer term. The purpose is for ENID programs to provide sustainable and successful project models for replication and ownership by the local communities. Innovation in ENID’s approach rests on introducing best practice interventions.

The four programs - each with a basket of subprojects - are targeted at (A) the economic empowerment of women and youth; (B) promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); (C) raising agricultural productivity and off-farm employment; (D) upgrading basic services in rural Upper Egypt. Support to these programs, as well as to the civil society and research communities, is provided by Program E, a communications, advocacy and knowledge management unit. The ENID mode of operation is results-based, and a comprehensive system of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is applied consistently throughout.

ENID work is intended to be of use for both policy formulation and program development in each of the selected four program areas. The first point of focus is the Governorate of Qena in South Upper Egypt.