Tackling issues from various cultures, backgrounds, and identities is key for filmmakers, according to 26-year-old Sondos Tarek. Having first realized her passion for filmmaking at the age of 20, by 23, Sondos’ film ‘On My Way to the Cinema’ won the award for Best Movie at Sharm El Sheikh Asian Festival and the award for…

Welcomed by excited wagging tails just as her car approaches the corner of the street where the lovable stray fur balls are staying and longing for more than just food and water, but cuddles and petting. That is how the warmhearted Rasha Abdulla, Journalism Professor at the American University in Cairo and a regular stray…

It’s not every day that you come across a beauty blogger who’s sharing how she shaves her moustache and bleaches her body in video tutorials to help other girls. Well, 24-year-old Nayra Nassar just took beauty blogging to a whole new level through her ‘Self’ blog on Instagram where she shares raw and unedited footage…

After suggesting a couple of movies to her friends at work, the film guru Yasmeen Mamdouh and her boss realized people’s desperate need to find content to watch while stuck in quarantine. And as simple as that, they decided to create short video reviews of series and movies. Given her experience as a film reviewer,…

Yoga is usually perceived as a Westernised practice that’s only for certain demographics, but I really think everyone should have the chance to practice,” Farah says When her students asked for a yoga video to help them get through the day, yoga instructor Farah Mourad realized she could record videos to benefit everyone else, especially…

“The shadow pandemic”, a description given to domestic violence for its rising rates since the Corona lockdown. As families got stuck at home, with all the pressures and burdens, some decided to take it out on their partners, siblings, or children, creating a parallel cycle of violence. Responding to this harsh reality, former Lawyer and…

It’s not every day that you come across a beauty blogger who’s shamelessly sharing how she shaves her moustache and bleaches her body in video tutorials to help other girls. Well, 24-year-old Nayra Nassar just took beauty blogging to a whole new level through her ‘Self’ blog on Instagram where she shares raw and unedited…

أيامك مش منظمة، جدولك متلخبط ، على طول مكسلة و مش قادرة تعملي حاجة، شبه مش بتتعاملي مع ناس؟ كل الحاجات دي بنعاني منها من بداية انتشار كورونا لمدة 3 شهور و مش عارفين الوضع ده هينتهي أمتى. ماجي بلبع و هي مدربة حياة معتمدة من معهد المدربين الدوليين وصفت الفترة دي بالصدمة، واستعانت في…

Unstructured days, messed-up schedules, canceled plans, quarantine, limited or even non-existent social interactions. All the circumstances that were imposed on us during the COVID-19 outbreak, hindering our motivation and limiting our productivity. Integrative Coach at International Association of Coaching Institutes (ICI) Maggie Balbaa categorized the situation as ‘traumatic’. Referencing the book “On Death and Dying”…

Ever since we got locked at home, food has either been our escapism to release stress or the complete opposite; loss of appetite was overwhelming given the stressful COVID19-related news and the new situation. Either binge eating or undereating, unhealthy eating habits became yet another issue that the quarantine triggered. Health Coach and Yoga Instructor…

Given the Corona restrictions, travel bans, curfew, and the partial lockdown, it was only expected for the economy to fall short, threatening most sectors, with both major corporations and small businesses. Co-Founder of the in-chat service Elves, which helps people order and book different sorts of services online, Abeer El Sisi shared her tips on…

“Sonia Abdel Azim”, one of the names that stirred so many emotions during the country’s fight against the pandemic, showing that there are several fronts to battle. It is the story of the 64-year-old doctor who died from Corona and the people of her village disrupted her burial, for fears of spreading the virus. Doctor…

“Amidst the dark, there is positivity in the impact we leave in the lives of people we come across.” Self-isolated in a room at home. Food and water prepared in disposables and left in front of the room door. Face masks are used inside and outside the house. No proper conversations or contact with family…

Doctor Waleed Yahia The 32-year-old gynaecologist at El Monira Hospital, a newly-wed with a four-month-old son. He contracted COVID19 during his service, and his condition rapidly deteriorated until he passed away. His death stirred controversy, since his family and some colleagues affiliated his death with negligence to healthcare staff’s health. Yet, the Health Ministry’s press…

حوار: علياء سليمان ترجمة نوران العشري    كانت الساعة 3 الفجر لما سِمعت الجرس بيرن وهي قاعدة في البيت لوحدها ومش عارفة مين اللي ممكن يجيلها في الوقت ده ولما فتحت لقت ولد واقف على بابها وبيقولها، “ماما عزة، أنا هربت من دار الأيتام وجاي أعيش معاكي.”   اتصدمت ومكانتش عارفة ممكن تقوله إيه وكان…

ترجمة: نوران العشري   البيت ابتدى يفضى عليكي. المسئوليات بقت أقل. كل حد من الولاد بدأ ينشغل بحياته الخاصة. دي حاجة كويسة المفروض، انتي بقالك سنين بتجهزيهم للحظة دي عشان يعتمدوا على نفسهم ويقدروا يواجهوا الحياة لوحدهم. بس بتنسي تفكري انتي بقى هتعملي ايه لما هم يبقوا في المرحلة دي.   ده حال ستات بيوت…

Always passionate about handmade work, the in­ credibly talented fifty­-year-old Hala Ezzat retrieves through her project Hala  Ez­zat Designs- her old interest in designing authentic, handmade products, proving that genuine passion has no age or time rules. When she was just a student in high school, she used to make her own leather bags when…

When she heard her daughter screaming from the bathroom, rushing to her already red and swollen face, neck, and forehead, it didn’t take Mona Elerian, the at the time Middle Eastern director of one of the pharmaceutical com­panies, much time to realize her daughter is having an allergic re­action. To her surprise, she found some…

The house feels emptier. Duties gradually become less. Kids are suddenly more capable of handling their own lives. Pretty normal. You’ve given your all to prepare them for the moment they start relying on themselves, but haven’t really given much thought to how you’d be after they do. This is the case for plenty of…

With her warm spirit,  utter elegance, and modest smile, the absolutely charming seventy-year-old So­hair Al Attar walked into our office in her long yellow pants, forcing us to instantly fall in love with her. As humble as she is, you won’t tell that she’s a professional swimmer with countless medals and championships, a doctor, a…

كتابة: جيداء طه ترجمة: نوران العشري شغفها بالأعمال اليدوية كان هو الدافع اللي خلى المُبدعة هالة عزت، 50، تسترجع حبها للأعمال اليدوية وتصميم اكسسورات أصلية من خيالها وتأسس مشروع هالة عزت ديزاينز عشان تثبت إن الشغف والشغل الجاد مع بعض كفاية ومش محتاجين سن معين.  لما كانت في ثانوي، مكانتش المنتجات اليدوية منتشرة قوي وكانت…

ترجمة: نوران العشري بنسمع كتير جملة إن “الحياة رحلة علم” وإن الواحد لازم يفضل يتعلم حاجات جديدة لحد أخر يوم بس مايسة علي، 55 سنة، أم وجدة، بتطبق المقولة دي بالمعنى الحرفي بتاعها وعمرها ما بطلت تتعلم وعُمرها ما شافت إن تطور الذات ممكن سن يوقفه.  لما بنتها خلصت مدرسة وكانت مايسة عندها أربعين سنة…

Passionate about communities’ cultural evolution and urban development, this creative lady made the best of both worlds by working on an architectural landmark in Nubia to showcase their culture! Mai Hussien is an Egyptian with Nubian roots who graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2014. Her main concern is to provide sustainable solutions…

It was nine o’clock in the morning, and we were waiting to meet researcher Irene Samy. The thirty-eight-year-old is an assistant professor at Nile University, in the Industry Engineering Department. She’s worked on research related to waste management, the latest being heading the team behind turning shrimp shells into natural degradable plastic. Irene’s project was…

كتبت: تسنيم عبد الله أصولها نوبية، الباحثة العبقرية فاطمة إمام، اللي كانت وما زالت شغوفة ومشغولة دائماً بأبحاث والدراسات عن حقوق المرأة والقمع اللي الستات بتتعرضله. فاطمة اشتغلت كباحثة في حقوق الإنسان، وكانت جزء من جمعيات لحقوق المرأة زي جمعية نظرة للدراسات النسوية، ومؤسسة مركز قضايا المرأة المصرية. اتكلمنا مع الباحثة الملهمة جداً، عن المشكلة…

حوار: جيداء طه كتبت: تسنيم عبدالله شغوفة بالتطور الثقافي والتنمية الحضرية، البنت المبدعة دي قدرت تطلع أحسن حاجة  من خلال شغلها على واحد من معالم النوبة المعمارية، علشان تعرض ثقافتهم! مي حسين بنت مصرية بأصول نوبية، اتخرجت من كلية فنون جميلة دفعة 2014. كل هدفها هو إنها تلاقي حلول ومساحات كافية تخدم مجتمعها وتحفاظ على…

كتبت: تسنيم عبد الله كانوا بيتريقوا عليها، وينتقدوها طول حياتها علشان شعرها كيرلي ومنفوش؛ دينا قررت تنقل معانتها مع الشعر الكيرلي للأنترنت علشان تلهم، تحفز، وتشارك معلوماتها مع كل البنات اللي شعرهم كيرلي زيها، علشان تقضي على شعورهم بانعدام الثقة بالنفس. اتكلمنا مع دينا غلوش، الست المتفردة الجميلة، عن أهمية شعر الستات في حياتهم، وده…

كتبت: تسنيم عبدالله بعد ما شافت قد إيه المنصات الإفتراضية مؤثرة وملهمة خصوصاً للستات، قررت دعاء تعمل منصة خاصة بيها وتشارك فيها تجربتها مع الشعر الكيرلي وتفتح المجال لكل الستات اللي شعرهم كيرلي زيها إنهم يشاركوا بتجاربهم الخاصة هما كمان. ومن قوتها والجروب بتاعها على الفيسبوك The Hair Addict بقى الوجهة الأولة لكل اللي شعرهم…

كتبت: تسنيم عبد الله بتطير، لفوق، فوق خالص! بطلة رياضة “الوثب العالي” بسنت مسعد هركي، بنت بهوايات كتير، ومواهب أكتر. مؤخرا كسرت الأرقام القياسية وفازت بالمركز الأول في أبطال ألعاب القوى الفرنسية. بسنت -26 سنة- بتحكيلنا: “كنت فخورة جداً بنفسي ودفعت نفسي لقدام لإني حسيت إني بحقق تقدم أكتر من أي وقت فات.”   مشوارها…

Obsessed with tourism, culture, and the Koryean language, this Nubian star mixed all her passions together to showcase and promote the Nubian culture to the world. Twenty-six-year-old Nourhan Eldemerdash graduated from the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management. She’s currently a tour guide, and an honorary reporter for the Korean official news website, and is…

“When I first found out that she has Down syndrome I was heartbroken, and full of fear of the unknown. But as I started to educate myself and meet beautiful mothers who helped and supported me a lot, the hopelessness turned into strength and joy,” says mother-of-two Abeer Nafi, who later launched the Instagram page…

Aswan-based Organizations that work on women empowerment are not something we hear about so often. It was during the 25th of January revolution when a group of women in Aswan first realized the urgency of leaving room for their women to have a voice. When women were only informed about the demonstrations right before they…

Having been a target for criticism and teasing because of her big, curly hair throughout her life, Dina decided to take her struggle with her curls to the Internet to inspire, motivate and share tips with other curly heads, aiming to end their feelings of insecurity. We’ve recently chatted with the inspiring Dina Ghalwash, about…

When she used to work as a reporter, she’d often find her reports skipped without her stand-upper, and when she asked for the reason, they’d say she’s too black, not pretty enough… Years and years later, this multi-talented reporter  Wafaa AlBadry became an established journalist and Broadcaster currently based in Germany. She has been picked…

Striking colors, culturally rich atmosphere, and of course visually appealing aesthetic pictures that left us blown away… It was brilliant Fashion Photographer Amina Zaher’s latest exhibition Kenya Aesthetics displayed at Maadi’s Arcade Gallery. Portraying the natural beauty of the Maasai tribes in Kenya, the exhibition was certainly out of this world! “I was hit by…

كتبت: تسنيم عبدالله “في ناس بتتف عليا، ناس تانيين بيرموا حاجات عليا، وفي اللي بيعلقوا تعليقات زي “إيه الليل اللي هجم علينا فجأء ده”..”   دي تجربة الموديل والكاتبة فاطمة علي مع التعليقات السخيفة اللي بتسمعها في شوارع مصر. فاطمة اللي فازت بملكة جمال السودان في مسابقة ملكة جمال العرب في 2010، نقلت حياتها لمصر…

كتبت: تسنيم عبد الله النوبة مدينة ساحرة، مفيش حد في مصر أو حتى برّه مصر مابيسمعش عن النوبة وجوّها وألوانها، وشكل البيوت. مدينة مختلفة تماماً، وليها روح تاني، ومختلفة عن كل مدن مصر. علشان كدة  ندي الحلفاوي مؤسسه مشروع جنوبي، قررت تستغل جمال وسحر النوبة، وتنتج منه تصاميم مبهجة ومليانة ألوان. اتكلمنا مع ندى علشان…

After realizing how empowering and insightful virtual spaces are for women, Doaa decided to create her own to share her own experience with curly hair and open the space for fellow curly heads to share their experience. Since then, her group The Hair Addict became the ultimate go-to for curly heads to get hair tips,…

Giving birth is probably one of the biggest milestones in any woman’s life. Am I allowed to walk around during labor? Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? Is the shape of this baby bump normal? Is it okay to sleep on my back? Too many questions, and concerns take over the mother’s mind. But…

“Someone can spit on me, another might throw something at me, and I can hear other comments right up to my face like “Eh el Leyl El Hagam Dah”, which roughly translates to darkness of the night.”   This is how model and writer Fatima Ali described her experience with some racist comments on Egyptian…

Through colorful prints and culturally-rich designs, a twenty-seven-year-old Nubian showcases the South’s culture –leaving her clients with masterpieces and not just products. Founder of Ganubi Store, Nada El Halafawy, is an interior design and decor graduate who later specialized in graphic design. Get to know all about her idea, design and more through our conversation.…

Originally from Nubia, the brilliant researcher Fatma Emam has always been fascinated by feminist studies and women’s pressing issues. She’s worked as a human rights researcher, and was part of women’s rights organizations like Nazra, and Cewla for resisting violence against women. We’ve talked to the inspiring feminist about the issue of dark-skinned women in…

Throughout my life, I’ve always heard these comments “tie your hair”, “you look better with straight hair”, but I love my hair to be honest.     Turning all eyes to her through last Ramadan’s hit series Zay El Shams, the young and talented Malak Hassan rocked her very first role on screen as a…

The Jordanian Superstar Eyad Nassar rocks this Eid’s hit movies El-Mamar and Casablanca, impressing everyone with his out of this world roles! El-Mamar tackles the period of the war of attrition between Egypt and Israel, through which Eyad plays the role of an Israeli soldier who used to get information out of Egyptian soldiers. He…

    For all the bookworms that leave their piles of books sitting for ages with no apparent use, the struggle is over. We’ve just discovered the Facebook page “Book it Forward”, with the purpose of selling donated used books to other readers, and all the profit going to charity. The thoughtful initiative was founded…

  When a twelve-year-old publishes a book –not about fairy tales or superheros, but about the meaning of life– you know something’s up, and that there’s a young philosopher in the making.   Despite the fact that she never really thought of philosophy as a career path, the winner of thirty literary awards, Youssra Hamouda,…

  Fifteen years into the filmmaking industry, Tamer Ashry is an established director, producer, and writer whose work has been recognized internationally and won numerous awards. He’s well-known for his movie Photocopy and the short film Eyebrows. He’s also passionate about making documentaries like Pictures from Gaza and the 7th War. He recently participated in…

The art of thoughtful gift giving has often been a dilemma, but twenty three-year-old Noura Ebrahim took it to a whole new level by making dolls that look just like their owners.   Graduated in 2018 from Azhar El Zagazig, Noura had the urge to start her own project: Doll Store. Through her passion towards…

Make-up and self-acceptance are not the typical mix… When a certified make-up artist calls for embracing one’s self, all eyes have to turn. The 28-year-old vitiligo patient Logina Salah changed the game when she started sharing photos of herself without hiding the difference in her skin tone, aiming to influence and inspire all women to…

When she found herself stuck to practice with football academies for guys, and a limited number of girl players, young footballer Farida Salem took it upon herself to establish her very own girls only football academy, and worked until this dream came to life.   Not as a part time job, hobby, or an alternative…

From a drug addict in Taht El Saytara to an intelligent hacker in Haza Al Masaa and more, the light-hearted Mohamed Farag never failed to make us repeatedly fall in love with every single one of his devilish roles! This Ramadan, he’s back at it as a serial killer with the season’s hit series Qabeel.…

In a very different and amusing role, Bassel Alzaro showcases his impressive acting capabilities in the pan Arab production, El Haramlek as a Russian spy, Martin. The historical series features the time of the Ottoman Empire’s instability, telling fictional stories about the people of this era, with extravagant costumes that make you feel like you…

With a role that is keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, unable to decide whether they love or hate him, Egypt’s beloved Ahmed Hatem rocks this Ramadan playing Adham in the series Hekayti. The series tackles the story of a fashion designer from a conservative community and the various challenges she faces…

Presenting a new twist to the heart-breaking tale of a woman being forced into marrying an older guy, all eyes are on the stunning Mai Omar for her outstanding performance in this Ramadan’s Weld El Ghalaba, where she’s far from being the victim. We’ve chatted with the beautiful inside-out actress and here are her insights…

Purposely wanting to make a difference in her community with a passion towards lifting others up and a profound connection with animals, a freshman student took the step to establish an organization that solely focuses on animal rights in Egypt. Now a Senior at The American University in Cairo with a Construction Engineering major and…

When Jana was asked about what the phrase “banat el ayam di” brings to her mind, she stated that it reminds her of the hard working women she sees nowadays wanting to reach something, and become independent without having to need anyone. The hard hitting 17-year-old is a perfect example of Egyptian female pride who…

  Passionate about trying out different sports such as football, tennis, and ice hockey, Yasmina Eissa instantly got hooked up with para badminton since she first learned about it in school. When she realized her talent with using the racquet, she decided to start practicing outside school to compete with more people. Fortunately, she found…

After knocking the doors of Egyptian schools twenty five years ago, and failing to find one equipped school to take in the differently-abled amongst their students, the hard-working Esraa El Bably and her family did not take no for an answer and sought an alternative in Bahrain, making persistence their life slogan.   At the…

You cannot sit with us” the well-known Mean Girls’ phrase that we often repeat jokingly, but is certainly more serious than it appears. In a world where everyone’s seeking validation, life becomes a hundred times harder when they end up with the opposite: bullying and humiliation. It works on all ages and it can make…

“You belong to the kitchen,” a statement that often enrages women all around the globe, usually meant to imply submissiveness and dependence, and probably leading to zillions of discrimination cases. Defying this conception, the Jordanian consulting agency, Seven Circles has been using cooking as a method of women empowerment, and published the best-selling book EWC–…

About six years ago, an ambitious college student on a trip to Germany attended a museum for the visually impaired named ’Dialogue in the Dark’. After spending two straight blind hours there, she made a decision to turn her life, and let’s just say a thousand others, upside down. Helm is a non-profit organization that…

They say that once you drink from the Nile, you are destined to return, but it makes it so challenging when there is a larger than life amount of plastic waste and garbage running in our ancient waters poisoning our soil with toxic waste. This is where Greenish Egypt comes in, the social business that aims…

The grass became greener on hundreds of rooftops in Egypt thanks to Schaduf, an organization that provides green urban solutions that elevate the quality of life through environmental and social change. The idea was simple: grow food on rooftops of people with minimum income! Schaduf was founded by two brothers, Sherif and Tarek Hosny, after…

Have you ever faked a migraine to escape a mommy duty? How many times have you pretended to be asleep so your husband gets up for the baby instead? God knows how many other stories we’ve kept to ourselves just because they don’t render us “as the ‘typical good mom’ material. In the era of…

A few years ago, May Zein Eldin was a regular mom whose only worries were school grades and bad influence until one day she received a phone call about her son’s Al Hassan accident that resulted in being bound to a wheelchair. Driven by the desire to change her son’s reality, May founded Al-Hassan Foundation…

A young woman with an awesome spirit and a beautiful energy is the engine behind the NGO Educate Me, working on redefining quality education in Egypt. She decided to improve the state of the well-being of financially underprivileged children in Egypt through developing and delivering. We have met with the intelligent founder, and here are…

Poverty and ignorance are doomed combination. Creating change through art might sound unusual, but Azza Kamel, a creative genius decided to give the development scene in Egypt a vibrant twist founding “Alwan wa Awtar”, a conducive environment that enables children in marginalized areas to develop their artistic sense, intellectual/creative abilities and self-awareness through arts and non-traditional…

Ever since the emergence of capitalism in the world order, most businesses became all about profit maximization, sometimes overlooking the expenses it might have on their employees. Luckily, we found the organization that is initially based on balancing both. Established in the 1990s, Fair Trade Organization started as an initiative to develop and empower the…

If you’re the type that obsess over the restaurant’s strategy with their leftovers when you’re supposed to be enjoying your dinner, you would be relieved to know that an application designed just for that is scheduled to launch next March! Founded by the Egyptian entrepreneur Menna Shahin, Tekeya application is meant to organize the excess…

Aiming to combat the issue of garbage accumulation, the waste management company Environ-Adapt in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the service provider GIZ Egypt established an application to help people locate garbage and report it to the waste collection company. After it is removed, a picture of the clean spot is sent for…

In one of Zelzal district’s long streets, exists a cozy heartwarming bubble that is one of the spaces of the non-profit organization Alwan wa Awtar. It’s where you’ll find children enthusiastically drawing, dancing, acting, or even critically challenging the methods of their instructors. Registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Alwan wa Awtar is an…

In one of the glass buildings of Al Maadi lies a small flat of determined women where a variety of clothing items and jewelry are made and impressively portrayed, powering the emerging brand AlMashghel. AlMashghel, Arabic for workshop, is a project aiming to empower female refugees and less-privileged Egyptian women (with a ratio of 70:30)…

From meditation and relaxation to hiking, rock-climbing and more adrenaline-rush activities, Clifftop Adventures travel agency has got it all. When two avid travelers Lina El Menshawy and Omar Badr realized their passion towards adventure travel, they launched their agency in 2017, aiming to share their interest in experiencing Egypt and the globe as travelers and…

No, it is not for a product promotion or a total scam … It is a charitable initiative purposed to feed people in need and hopefully combat hunger rates in Egypt. Every day at around 2 pm, the small corner shop in Al Hussien district distributes freshly cooked noncommercial meals to queues of women, men,…

While some parents try all the tricks of the world to get their kids to love school, one extraordinary school established itself as an attraction for a neighborhood’s kids to the extent that they saved from their own pocket money just to afford paying the transportation expenses their parents cut-off. The one of a kind…

Community service and charity have often been tied to materialistic measures in our collective unconscious. You think donations, Ramadan packs, clothes, blankets, and a zillion other money-oriented means, that are definitely needed and vital for the community. Breaking the stereotype, the non-governmental organization Mashrou El Saada chose another path to serve the community using just…

In one of Cairo’s informal settlements, Ezbet Khairallah, exists a cooking hub for Syrian and Egyptian women, where all the dazzling amalgamation between Egyptian and Syrian food happen. Dawar Kitchen is a social enterprise incubated under Dawar for Arts and Development, an organization meant for psychosocial interventions for citizens impacted by wars, displacement, or any…