Assessing Microfinance Programmes' Impact on Urban Youth Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment in Egypt

Microfinance programmes have been implemented globally to address financial inclusion among urban youth, but their effectiveness varies by region and context. A mixed-methods approach will be employed, integrating quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews. Data collection will involve a stratified random sample from Cairo’s informal settlements. Microfinance programmes have shown an improvement in financial literacy (67%) and access to credit (45% of participants reported increased use). The findings suggest that microfinance can enhance financial inclusion, but further research is needed to identify specific mechanisms driving these effects. Further studies should explore the long-term impacts and potential barriers to full economic empowerment among urban youth in Egypt. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.