Friends of Egyptian Leadership Academy

Manara School provides exceptional students with a world-class education based on a framework of ethics, academics, and diversity. We expect our students to become the passionate leaders required to shape a more prosperous and equitable world.

Our Story

“I have always believed that education offers the promise of a better life. The future development of our economy and our nation will be determined by the skills and training of our young people.” Onsi Sawiris

Inspired by the philanthropic legacy of his grandfather, Naguib Samih Sawiris made the decision to not only continue investing in education, but to present an innovative opportunity for a specific purpose: giving talented, high-potential teenagers an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference by developing independence and cultivating leadership abilities that are only possible in a school with a world-class residential program.

“Six years ago, I had a dream to give talented students the chance to make a difference in their communities by providing them with a holistic world-class education. I was inspired by my dear grandparents, Onsi and Yousriya Sawiris, who helped me turn that dream into a reality.” Naguib Samih Sawiris

Our Purpose

Manara School is driven by this truth: Egyptian students of all backgrounds are capable of the best and therefore deserve the best. We are Egypt’s finest high school for the country’s finest students. Supported by world-class faculty and staff and state-of-the-art residential learning facilities, our students earn admission to the most selective universities around the globe.

Intended Impact/Priorities

Manara is a school for “the nation”: top-tier education to a wide segment of society, starting from the families and students who can afford the tuition fees and including less-privileged students through need-based scholarships.

We believe that providing a world-class education to high potential students will cultivate the leaders of the future, and this is what world-class means to us:

Plan (how)

A residential school offers unparalleled academic preparation, social-emotional growth and leadership development. With 24/7 attention and support, Manara can elevate our best and most motivated students to the heights they deserve.

We will teach our students:

School Leadership:

Manara is led by a board of trustees that enjoys deep expertise in managing successful, high scale organizations, and a leadership team that has decades of experience in managing prestigious schools with residential programs.

We have already made progress

Manara announced its founding on October 7th, 2022, and is getting ready to start accepting applications in December, 2022. The target is to enroll 60 high potential students for the academic year 2023-2024.

How you can make a difference