Hend Ramadan

Hend is a dedicated professional with a passion for quality education. She firmly believes in the transformative power of education, recognizing its ability to enhance lives, create better career opportunities, and improve financial aspects and overall quality of life. Throughout her academic journey, Hend has consistently exhibited leadership qualities, serving as Vice President of the Faculty of Engineering Student Union and as an event manager for the Scholarships Conference. Notably, she is a recipient of the prestigious HEI scholarship by USAID and graduated with honors, further exemplifying her commitment to academic excellence and her ability to excel in her endeavors. Hend, currently serving as a Junior Advisor at the Employment Promotion Project, harnesses her potential to create a meaningful impact on the lives of technical and vocational education students. She achieves this by developing new training programs that are gender-responsive and aligned with the skill sets required for the green economy. Additionally, Hend conceptualizes and implements measures to enhance female employment prospects, further demonstrating her commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment within the workforce.

Fatema Mustafa

Fatema Mustafa joined Lazord Fellowship to pursue her dream of becoming an advocate for Economic and Social Rights. During the fellowship year, she was placed as a Public Relations and Networking Officer at Egyptian Association for Economic and Social Rights (EAESR), where she represented the association in national and international conferences and meetings. Mustafa worked closely with EAESR team for the female domestic workers’ project that resulted in legislation changes nationwide later. Transitioning from her scientific educational background to storytelling and communication had to take a hands-on experience approach. 10 years later, Mustafa succeeded in owning a diversified worldwide clientele portfolio, supporting different governments, brands, startups, and NGOs with her skills in storytelling and expertise in digital marketing. Back in 2021, post COVID-19, Mustafa moved back to her home country hoping to make a change by collaborating with local NGOs. Since then, she has been working as a Senior Brand Manager for Ibrahim A. Badran Charitable Foundation, assisting in expanding its operations to reach targeted communities across Egypt and build its network of allies and supporters. She is also an active volunteer with Hospice Egypt (JOSAAB) Foundation & a pro-bono communication consultant for EAESR, her placement during the fellowship.

Naira khaled

“Life is like carrying a message from the child you were to the old man you will be. You have to make sure that this message isn’t lost along the way”. Unknown.

Naira Khaled literally lives out the meaning of the above quote, every day. Being raised in Upper Egypt has shaped her childhood’s message to be focused on improving the lives of the children who suffer. That’s why if she had a superpower, she would like to make every child’s home a safe place “Malaz”.

Naira Khaled is a 25-year-old art therapist. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Assiut University and has obtained a Diploma in Art Therapy to take a closer step towards her life goals. She is passionate about the mental health, children empowerment, art therapy and puppetry art. She firmly believes in the transformative power of art therapy interventions for improving children’s mental health. Naira’s passion for puppetry art led her to participate in research on puppet theatre at Al Ain University in the UAE in 2019.

Currently, she is in the process of establishing her startup called “Nero Puppets,” which aims to improve children’s mental health through puppet therapy. Through the fellowship, Naira is placed at Rakhawy Institute for Training and Research, where she is enrolled on a program that seeks to provide psychological care for people.

Hadeer Ashraf

Hadeer Ashraf is a multidisciplinary, flexible development practitioner who enjoys immersing herself in learning and working agilely and efficiently. She studied Business at Cairo University but besides that, she decided to choose and start her career in the civil society sector. She wanted to follow her passion and work in civil society, which has been one of her dreams. Following her passion, allows her to explore herself deeply.

She has a keen interest in learning new and different things about herself and stepping out of her comfort zone. This includes exploring new places, meeting new people, trying different foods, and learning languages. She is constantly on a personal and professional learning journey.

Moreover, she is deeply connected to her country, her family, herself, nature, and her experiences. Her experiences help her grow, challenge her beliefs, and expand her knowledge and awareness. She is also excited about the upcoming experiences, challenges, and learning opportunities.

Development and non-formal education are areas that particularly interests her. Additionally, she has various hobbies, such as traveling, reading, and cycling.

Omar Talaat

Omar started his journey in the development field when he was 15 moved by the positive spirit after 2011. He started an initiative in their neighbourhood to clean its streets and engage the inhabitants of the neighbourhood.

During his studies in Engineering at Cairo university, he participated in many student activities, and he became the president of one of the most effective student activities which was working as a media platform for the students.

Omar is focusing now on developing the ecosystems by helping in the creation of collaborative communities through his work at ElRehla. In particular, he hosts unconventional retreat experiences focusing on gathering the stakeholders of a certain sector to accelerate building communities through connecting both personally and professionally.

Omar hopes to explore the opportunities by his role as a Partnership Specialist to create more impact within the development sector by creating more collaborations and helping in creating more initiatives.

Ahmed Allam

Ahmed Allam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Hebrew Language from Alexandria University.

He discovered his passion for developmental work early on. During his engagement with the Y-PEER initiative, he progressed from participant to coordinator, empowering youth and raising awareness of societal issues. Later on, in Care Egypt, he contributed to the refugees’ integration into Egyptian society.

Also, Ahmed served as Deputy Coordinator for the Fadelia Foundation, coordinating programs promoting peace values. In addition, he worked with the Addiction Treatment Fund and led the Volunteer Unit, as he is committed to drug awareness.

His success in national debate championships led to coaching roles and the title of Best Coach in Debates Club 2030.

Ahmed’s diverse engagements included coordinating the YV program with Thinking Academy and the British Council, while contributing to Plan International’s Youth Integration and Employment project.

Currently, he is involved in entrepreneurial initiatives. His volunteering experience positioned him as a mentor and trainer, showcasing his dedication to positive societal impact.

Menna Hefny

Fact: we are all part of something bigger than us. You decide what you do with that. Two revelations have shaped Menna’s life: One. The complexity of the human experience is fascinating. Two. All these people are connected in the intricate labyrinth of the community, some take that as it is, and others decide to take action.

The first made her delve into the social sciences in a pursuit of learning about society and humans, and she obtained a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University. Her inquisitive nature and exceptional diligence earned her a scholarship at the University of Chicago in the US where she spent one academic year of endless knowledge and self-discovery. Her biggest interest and experiences shaped throughout this journey is in research, and she found her calling especially in gender studies and ethnography.

The second revelation made her recognize her position in her community, her privileges, limitations, and potential. This guided her toward the development sector very early on, and she began her journey by volunteering with her school’s charitable initiative and then during college with different initiatives targeting people with disabilities such as Et3lmo Eshara, and Mashroo3 Matar.

On a more personal side, Menna’s passion for writing encouraged her to join different student activities such as Catcher in the Rhyme and MESE. During her internship at the Art for Vulnerable Road Users Program, she learned about how art can be integrated into social change which she found inspiring. Menna’s biggest comfort and drive has been this awareness of where she fits in her community. Her dream is to write a book about, for, and by her community. She wants to walk inside her city, walk up to strangers, to document their experiences. As a listener, reader, writer, and storyteller, she believes in the power of the narrative. She wants to show people that sometimes they have much more in common than they think and that they are part of something bigger than they are. Menna believes that this will make them question the role they have in their society and hopes this will encourage them to become changemakers and be more involved.

Kareem Nabil

Kareem holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Education from Helwan University, where his academic journey laid the foundation for his commitment to community development.

His life’s driving force is rooted in a profound passion to effect positive change in his community and enhance the lives of those around him. Kareem firmly believes that the impact one leaves on others’ lives is the most valuable aspect of life itself. This belief was solidified within him because he participated in an activity with the Egyptian Scouts, where he served as a scout leader for a team of children. He developed their life and scouting skills through scout activities, games, and active learning strategies. Kareem pondered why he couldn’t transfer this experience to children in the community beyond scouting. He decided to initiate a community project to develop and enhance children’s social and life skills. During his research to write his initiative, Kareem discovered a field called development, in which he found a significant sector working on children and education.

So, embarking on his path in the field of development during his university studies, Kareem dedicated his time to volunteering with various esteemed organizations, both locally and internationally. Among these organizations are Y-Peer, Care Egypt, CRS, JICA, and Educatme. In each volunteering endeavour, Kareem aimed to craft a unique experience, ensuring a diverse set of skills and knowledge. His volunteering efforts spanned across projects addressing critical issues such as gender equality, education, refugee and migrant support, livelihoods, and healthcare. These diverse experiences served as a profound learning ground, providing Kareem with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of the development field.

Presently, Kareem finds himself immersed in a new and transformative phase of life, one that he considers a journey of continuous learning and exploration. Committed to making a lasting impact, Kareem looks forward to leveraging his skills and experiences for the betterment of communities and societies at large. Through his work, he aspires to contribute to creating positive, sustainable change that echoes for generations to come.

Ahmed Ali

Ahmed from Qena – Upper Egypt. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Power Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering specializing in Industrial Wastewater from South Valley University.

He has good exposure to diverse development topics including environment, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, innovation and economic empowerment. He worked as a Project Coordinator at Dandara Al-Ebdaa Creative-Qena Operator (ITIDA-TIEC), as Head of Public Relations and Fundraising Committee for IEEE SVU SB, as an Innovation Ambassador for TIEC, Also, as a Youth Program Assistant Intern at UNFPA Egypt country office in Cairo.

Over the past seven years, driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact, he has experienced working and volunteering with different organizations with governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as international and local organizations on programs that worked on various issues and topics such as entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, and youth development.

In addition, he founded three initiatives for his community, the first one was for rising the environmental awareness for kids. The second one was for helping children to get a high-quality education, besides the governmental education to teaching them English in interactive ways and developing their soft skills. The third one was for qualifying high school students for university life and developing their skills.

Mona Ramadan

Mona holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Damietta University.

With a profound belief in the transformative power of continuous effort, she embarked on a versatile professional journey spanning social entrepreneurship, community development, youth empowerment, refugees, and gender equality.

Currently serving as a Youth Engagement Research Assistant at Ashoka Arab World in the youth regional Program. Mona is passionate about harnessing the potential of young changemakers to impact the world positively. Her role involves supporting youth initiatives through various programs and tools, fostering a community of changemakers throughout the region. Having extensive experience as a youth worker and community facilitator for more than 5 years, she facilitated more than 20 workshops in ten Egyptian governorates, engaging with diverse communities, including women, children, and youth.

Through her journey she worked with Caritas Egypt, Goethe Institute, Ambassadors for Dialogue, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and NASA Space Apps. Statement that reflects Mona’s beliefs: “Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it makes a process, brings an understanding of what works and what doesn’t work, ups your skill level, creates new habits, and builds confidence”.