Facebook groups and pages are a great hub, bringing like-minded people together to share experiences, ideas and rally for causes close to their hearts. They ultimately bond community members and shape a collective driving force for the greater good. With over 38+ million active users monthly on Facebook in Egypt, these communities can make a real difference.
Women have interests, causes and concerns that are uniquely female and often look for a place to openly discuss these, share experiences and tips, and support one another.
Women searching for professional inspiration can definitely find it on Facebook Groups. They can build on an existing knowledge base created by other successful women, benefit from shared wisdom or sound out some of their own ideas, to develop a clearer path to success.
Facebook by its nature prioritizes tech knowledge and is keen to encourage women interested in the field, helping them achieve strides in making the industry more inclusive of women.
On International Women’s Day, we shed light on some Facebook groups and pages created by women, for women. While you might know some of them, we’ve also included some lesser known ones dedicated to unique causes and communities.
Ballerinas of Cairo –A project that came to life on Facebook in 2016 featuring photographs of ballerinas performing on the streets of Cairo. The group sets two refined art-forms – dance and photography – against the backdrop of daily life in Egypt to fight sexual harassment.
Bride Group Founded in 2007 by Lydia Morcos, Bride Group boasts a history of sharing tips for brides-to-be and newly-weds. The group offers support to women planning their weddings or navigating the early phases of married life.
Cairo Cycling Geckos – Empowering female cyclists via initiatives designed to give back to the community. Group rides allow members to distribute clothes, blankets and gifts to women and children across areas in Cairo where they are needed most.
Egyptian Single Mothers (أمهات مصر المعيلات) – Dedicated to supporting single mothers and helping them navigate some tough decisions with a little understanding, a quick pep talk, or advice on the best doctors, schools or legal matters. This Facebook Community Leadership Program (FCLP) winning group was established by Nermeen Salem in 2016.
Let’s Share and Care – Sometimes a little “life hack” can turn a mountain into a molehill! Founded by Angie Mohamed, this is a group where women share tips and ideas to help each other conquer life’s simple or more complex challenges.
The Hair Addict – For women, hair is constant source of pride but also one requiring the investment of time and effort – it’s a bit of an addiction! Doaa Gawish started this group to help connect “hair addicts” with “hair addicts to be” so they can more easily exchange hair care tips, discover effective natural treatments and amazing products, as well as avoid the disasters their fellow devotees may have encountered.
The Mommy Club – “A friendly, non-judgmental and drama free” community offering mothers and mothers-to-be support and information. The group has its origins on WhatsApp, where the idea was born in 2015 by new-mom at the time Heba Abou El Eid, today with over 57,000 members it ranks as one of the biggest motherhood support platforms in Egypt!
Women Who Code Egypt –Empowering women and girls in tech to achieve their aspirations. This offshoot of the global “Women Who Code” group was established in in 2018 and welcomes women passionate about reducing the gender gap in this field.
“New mothers especially need a lot of support and tend to receive conflicting advice from everyone around them, without really feeling in a position to contribute their own viewpoints,” said Heba Abou El Eid, founder of the Mommy Club, “our group allows them to listen to others but also voice their own ideas and concerns without fear of judgment or the hassle of joining a forum and learning its culture. They use Facebook anyway but do so now to build a support network. Facebook is and was one of the main pillars behind the success and reach of our community! No one else was there for me at 3 am when I created The Mommy Club to help me and in return help thousands of mothers”
“Women searching for self love and sustainable hair care routines can definitely find them on The Hair Addict,” said Doaa Gawish, founder of the “Hair Addict” group. “Our focus is to challenge all hair-related societal norms and to free women from negative societal conditioning. The Facebook group’s setup helps us to promote self-acceptance and makes its practices second nature to Middle Eastern and African women. This entails encouraging each other to embrace our natural hair, sharing reviews of natural remedies, organic or low chemical products, eating healthy, and working out tips”.
“As a woman who codes, I’ve faced many issues in the industry, mainly caused by stereotyping,” said the founder of the ‘Women Who Code Egypt’ group, Salma Abdelhady, “However, I knew that many other women out there could relate and that Facebook could be a channel of inspiration and support for us as a community, or for other women who were doubtful about their programming career.”