In the area of Saint Catherine in South Sinai, the presence and value of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, make the link between past and future unmistakably obvious.

Linking and securing the past to the future as far as it concerns the local Gebaliya Bedouin tribe is indeed the overall goal of project 539.

Funded through Europaid’s South Sinai Regional Development Program and under title “Bedouin Village”, project 539 has two central purposes:

- contribution to the study and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Gebaliya tribe

- contribution to the economic development of the Gebaliya tribe through creation of income generation and employment opportunities

Specific objective of the project is the promotion and increased awareness of Bedouin cultural heritage.

The Gebaliya tribe being remote from the shore area has enjoyed restricted benefits from the development of South Sinai.

At the same time the tribe experienced important changes in the way of life. Situation that made a number of Bedouins to worry about the future of their cultural heritage.

This team of individuals established the company “Sherka Ahia Toras el Badawi” gathering 1000 members/ stakeholders being the final beneficiary of the project 539.

Beneficiary of the contract and charged with the implementation of the project is the Greek company LAMANS SA.