Mounira 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 READINGIn a dusty village in Beni Suef, a rural governorate with a poverty rate of more than 60%, Hanan, a mother of two, was struggling to make ends meet. Like most women from disadvantaged communities, Hanan has faced many challenges in her life. She likely married her husband at a young age, and her schooling […]
CONTINUE READINGIt has come to HANDS’ attention that there are a group of scammers posing as our organization on social media, contacting people under the pretense of recruitment and then asking for financial information. If you have received such a message, please ignore it. HANDS does not ask any employee to disclose such information, and recruitment […]
CONTINUE READINGObtaining vocational skills, pursuing a career in the STEM field, or just becoming the first in one’s family to be fully literate in Arabic. These are all opportunities made possible for Egyptian youth from vulnerable households because of the generosity of HANDS’ donors! Often the children of underserved families drop out of school to pick-up […]
CONTINUE READINGHANDS was recently informed that one of our talented exchange program alumni, Aziz Taouri, was awarded the 2020 Professional Fellows Program Alumni Impact Award by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs. We hope that the entire HANDS community joins us in celebrating Aziz for his remarkable accomplishment! Aziz’s story with HANDS began […]
CONTINUE READINGThe gender economic inequality that persists throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and all around the globe is not only unjust, but it also remains a source of untapped economic opportunity. According to a McKinsey study, closing the gender gap in the economy would add $28 trillion to global GDP by 2025. […]
CONTINUE READINGIn these days of health and economic challenges, know that your investments, through HANDS, are empowering hardworking Egyptians to keep themselves and their families afloat. One such person who has benefitted from your generosity is Hani, who built a furniture business with a microloan he received from generous HANDS donors. Click here or the video below to listen […]
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