Sofia, from the village of Manhary in Upper Egypt, always has a smile on her face despite the difficult life she leads. Sofia was thrilled to hear about HANDS-sponsored microloans in her community. With her active entrepreneurial spirit, she applied for a microloan and to start her own small business, selling cheese by the kilo. […]
CONTINUE READINGHow can we make our societies more inclusive for people with disabilities and women? HANDS’ American and Egyptian Professional Fellows Program participants are currently exploring this topic during an exchange visit to Egypt–as did our American delegation during last month’s exchange to Morocco and Tunisia. HANDS’ Professional Fellows Program engages young development professionals from the […]
CONTINUE READINGLast month, Hands Along the Nile welcomed 14 gender equality advocates from Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia to the United States through our Professional Fellows Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. This vigorous fellowship program in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Seattle equips aspiring leaders from the Middle East and North Africa with the […]
CONTINUE READINGThe season of gratitude and generosity is upon us! In the coming weeks, we will express gratitude on Thanksgiving, shop for loved ones on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and make the world a better place on Giving Tuesday. To ring in the season, Hands Along the Nile is […]
CONTINUE READINGHands Along the Nile offers our heartfelt congratulations to Professional Fellows Program Alum Aziz Taouri from Morocco, who has been awarded the U.S. Department of State’s 2017 Alumni Impact Engagement Fund! This annual grant competition supports community initiatives led by alumni from State Department-sponsored programs, including the Professional Fellows Program. Aziz posing in […]
CONTINUE READINGHANDS works hard to give people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) the opportunity to develop their socio-economic status. Our job is made a lot easier when we reach those who find it imperative to help others, too. Nour is one of those people. After participating in one of HANDS’ job-skills training programs, […]
CONTINUE READINGSupporting a household in rural Egypt is a business in itself. Families often find it difficult to live off of only one income, so women become valuable contributors to families’ incomes. In a village in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut, Kamila is doing just that. Kamila received a microloan from HANDS to jump-start a […]
CONTINUE READINGNora is a self-made woman who doesn’t let any obstacle get in the way of achieving her dreams — and being a woman with disabilities from an under-served Egyptian province can pose a lot of obstacles. Nevertheless, she persisted. Nora learned how to be financially independent through HANDS’ Employment Through Technology and Innovation (ETI) program. […]
CONTINUE READINGArbi Chouikh is an activist, innovator, and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities in Tunisia. In 2016, Arbi participated in the HANDS-organized Professional Fellows Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and completed his fellowship with Disability Rights Washington (DRW) in Seattle. There he learned about […]
CONTINUE READINGThe micro-enterprise programs that HANDS supports in Egypt are not only meant for new entrepreneurs, but can be for pre-existing small businesses, too. With the persistence of rural marginalization and poverty in Egypt, it can be difficult for small business people to access the credit needed to keep their projects afloat. This is where HANDS […]
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