ASYUT, Egypt — In the small village of Naza Qarar, in Upper Egypt’s governorate of Asyut, most residents work as demolition contractors and construction rubble dealers. The village is the main center that supplies the towns of Upper Egypt with restored building materials to suit different segments of society, especially after the recent economic decisions by the Egyptian government to float the pound and liberalize the dollar exchange rate, which has led to a price increase for building materials.
Like most Egyptian youth, Abdel Nasser Yassin, who graduated in 1999 with a degree in physical education, has not found a job in his field. For 14 years now, he has been working — like most of the residents of Naza Qarar — as a demolition contractor and construction rubble dealer.
