At just 18, Rami took a big risk and opened his own phone repair shop. Unfortunately, his risk did not pay off and the shop failed within the first year. But, Rami would not give up; he spent the next 12 years working for local trades people and struggling to support his family on low-wage […]
CONTINUE READINGAs the daughter and wife of garbage collectors, Ragaa Bekheit could not imagine life outside of the recycling community where her family resided. Her daily life revolved around the rhythmic routine of trash collection, engaged in sorting and salvaging waste to sustain her family’s livelihood. Lacking much formal education and work experience, Ragaa faced considerable […]
CONTINUE READINGIn a room with light pink walls, behind her dark sunglasses, Nafusa tirelessly sorts through used garments of different hues and patterns. Nafusa provides for her family and helps disadvantaged members of her community through her small business as a vendor of preowned clothes. Nafusa had long dedicated her time and energy to her secondhand […]
CONTINUE READINGSitting in a room filled with colorful boxes of sweets, Zainab counts her earnings and records them with a blue pen. As a resourceful and ambitious mother providing for five children, she works relentlessly to develop her small roadside grocery store. She had initially lacked the funds to grow her business. It was only after […]
CONTINUE READINGLike many young Egyptians, Mario, from Malawy in the governorate of Minya, had been facing long-term unemployment, which left him unable to provide for himself. At 28 years old, he knew he had to make a change if he ever wanted to move out of his parent’s home and start his own family. So, […]
CONTINUE READINGExperiences, achievements, lessons-learned and recommendations gathered during the implementation of our pilot project “Activating Private Sector to Act as an Advocate for Women’s Economic Rights in the MENA Region” are now available in the booklet, in English and Arabic languages! We hope that the accomplishments and experiences in this project will continue to inspire new […]
CONTINUE READINGMounira was grateful for her family and content with the simple life she led in rural Egypt, but worry over her ability to provide for herself and her loved ones on her meager seamstress wages consumed her. The house she lived in was small and unfinished. Her daughter was soon-to-be married, and Mounira worried she […]
CONTINUE READINGIn line with our mission to foster and facilitate connections between professionals in Egypt and the U.S. in order to support Egyptians working to address priority needs in their country, HANDS was thrilled and honored to host an online exchange between university career centers in Egypt and the U.S. This program focused on a topic […]
CONTINUE READINGSometimes, running a business is a family endeavor. Nawal, a 45-year old woman, lives with her husband, sons, and daughter-in-law in a rural Egyptian community. Like many households living nearby, agriculture plays a significant role in their daily life. Nawal’s husband is a farmer who owns a plot of land that he cultivates with one […]
CONTINUE READINGSome aspiring entrepreneurs are barely out of their teens but carry the weight of a family on their shoulders. As a young mother of two children, 23-year-old Eman lives with her husband and in-laws in a rural Egyptian community. In Egypt, women from underserved areas may face barriers when attempting to join the workforce. This […]
CONTINUE READING