A typical day for Ali begins at 4am when he walks half a kilometre to get the water for the day and a loaf of bread for his grandmother. This must be done before he starts work at 6am at a metal shop on the other side of the district, taking him about 45 minutes by foot to get there.

Child labour laws in Egypt state that working children must be fed on arrival at work, but most employers don't comply. Unlike many of the other employers in the district, Ali's boss insists that his workers get a cup of milk and a piece of bread with meat strew, so in this instance, he is very lucky.

It was Mr Hassan, Ali's boss that was first approached by the Sea Scouts. He was shown a letter from the local mayor that outlined the needs of working children in the area, and explained ways in which he could help.

With the support of his employer, Ali and the other child workers were able to have a weekly schooling session on a Sunday from 09.00-16.00 hours, where a variety of activities took place. The program offered social care, literacy classes, health care, cultural activities, music, technical skills, vocational training and Scouting activities. Likewise, employers like Mr Hassan were given a series of training events on topics like occupational health and safety.

More than 2,000 children have now received help from this program, which is successful because of the great volunteers from the Sea Scouts in Alexandria. Not only do they work with the kids, but an element of their success is that they work with the workshop owners, encouraging them to recruit their workers and improve conditions for them.