Meet the Women’s Initiative Fellows
Roula works in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology through Doctors without Borders in Egypt. Through her work, Roula provides medical care for underserved women in rural and urban communities. She travels to various marginalized villages to educate sex workers about basic human rights and health education.
A 3-D Animator at Arascope Film Company in Egypt, Meral has worked on a number of short movies for children that convey moral and ethical messages. She has published editorial cartoons in popular Egyptian magazines on topics including sexual harassment, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the wearing of the veil.
Arwa envisions a future for Egypt where human rights are respected and where Egyptian men and women are equally treated and valued. Arwa has worked in the human rights and development field since 2000. In her current role as Program Officer at the International Labor Organization (ILO), Arwa contributes to the formulation, implementation and monitoring of ILO’s projects in Egypt, and provides support to the organization’s management.
Miral is a Creative Director at Creative Lab, a leading advertising agency in Egypt. In association with Teenstuff Magazine, Egypt’s best-selling English magazine, Miral developed and executed a television advertisement in nine different languages titled “Support Freedom, Visit Egypt” to promote tourism after the revolution.
Mariz desires to support Egypt in its transitional period through empowering individuals and helping them discover their true potential, recognize their inner beauty and increase their self-esteem. Mariz believes that by achieving these goals, individuals will be able to take risks and fight for their dreams.
Rowida is an Executive Manager at Egyptian Democratic Academy where she monitors the performance of the Egyptian Members of Parliament and President Morsi. She promotes women’s political participation in hopes that gender-related issues will be addressed in parliament.
Rowida was one of the initial members of the 6th of April Movement, a pressure group that has grown to be one of the largest and most active political group in Egypt. She is also a member of the Democratic Front Party, Abdul Fatouh presidency campaign and the New Wave Movement.
Dina is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of ITMAX Intelligent Solutions & Networks, the only company in Egypt specializing in Radio Frequency Identification and augmented reality e-commerce web applications.
Sara holds a Master’s degree in Public International Law from Université Jean Moulin Lyon in France, and works as a Legal Consultant at an international law firm in Egypt.
Sara has worked on a number of projects for children in Egypt, including organizing social visits to Egypt’s 57357 Cancer Hospital for Children.
Esraa is the Owner and Senior Fashion Designer of Ostora Manufacturing Company, where she utilizes the artistic talents and craftsmanship of women that reside in the slums of Cairo. Esraa believes that providing underserved women with the right training and job opportunities will help them escape poverty and significantly improve their living conditions.
Jeanne is the Head of the Gender Department at Media Arts for Development (MADEV) in Egypt, an organization that uses media production and training as a way to create positive social change and promote rights-based development. Through her role at MADEV, Jeanne managed a campaign that produced a sitcom series tackling women’s issues in Egypt, specifically the issue of violence against women. In partnership with GIZ- Egypt, Jeanne was also responsible for a regional campaign focused on gender equality in the work place in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco.
Sandy looks to ameliorate the poverty caused by Egypt’s economic challenges by cultivating the art and craftsmanship long celebrated in her culture. Sandy’s start-up company, Life Creations, sells classically Egyptian art. Her company aims to revalue the importance of the skillful artistry found in Cairo.
Through Life Creations, Sandy employs a number of local craftsmen and women to help in art design and production. By utilizing their skills and handiwork, Sandy provides a stable income for these impoverished citizens.
With a hand in both international affairs and the media field, Dina is a young Egyptian positioning herself on a path to help lead her country forward. She works as a freelance journalist and filmmaker. Dina honed her communication skills working with television networks including the National Geographic Channel and PBS. She wishes to produce documentaries revealing life in the Middle East and North Africa region from the perspective of both an Easterner and a woman.
When the revolution ignited in 2011, Caroline left her job as a human resource specialist in Cairo and became directly involved in Egypt’s parliamentary elections. Caroline expanded her knowledge in the human rights field through her participation in seminars for marginalized political groups at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.
Nemat, a pharmacist, owns a franchise through the Seif Group in Egypt, which boasts pharmaceutical locations across the country.
Nemat hopes to build a Medicine Bank in underprivileged communities that will provide easy access to medicine and ensure that citizens receive regular medical check-ups. Through the Medicine Bank, she desires to raise awareness of sustainable hygiene practices. Once health issues are addressed, Nemat believes Egyptians will be free to focus on their education, their jobs and bettering their society in order to compete with developed nations.
Hadeer is a rising social entrepreneur who is focused on social innovation and rural development. She is the head of the Entrepreneurial Sector at Step Up Youth Initiative, a prominent NGO in Egypt. Through her work, Hadeer teaches aspiring entrepreneurs the tools they need to establish and maintain start-up companies.
Fluent in Arabic and English, and conversant in Korean and Spanish, Reem is an Executive Assistant and Translator at IPR Group of Companies, a multinational petroleum company. She plans to join an NGO working to empower women through education.
Reem is passionate about education, and she hopes to contribute to the eradication of illiteracy and the negative stereotypes surrounding the value of women in Egypt. Her goal is that one day, Egyptian men and women can compete equally in the global arena.
Jacqueline is the Deputy Executive Director at Professional Development Foundation (PDF), an NGO that contributes to Egypt’s economic growth and aims to increase Egypt’s global competitiveness through enhancing workforce performance.
Her passion for the history of Egypt gives Jacqueline hope for her country’s future. Jacqueline believes that Egyptian youth have the potential to make a great impact, and she calls for programs that provide the next generation with the essential skills and education necessary to further the development of their country.
Chosen as one of 200 social entrepreneurs to meet President Obama at the 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, Vivian is the Founder of Charisma Arts: Handmade Gifts Empowering Communities. Charisma Arts is a social enterprise that helps marginalized communities produce an income through manufacturing and selling genuine Egyptian handmade items.
Shaima desires to play an active role in the change that is taking place in Egypt and hopes to contribute to the betterment of her society.
