Farida Elrefaie

Farida Elrefaie graduated with a B.A. in psychology and anthropology from the American University in Cairo (AUC). She has experience as a research assistant, having worked on projects related to sexual and reproductive health, emotional regulation, and the preservation of refugees’ cultural heritage. During her studies, she developed interests in migration, gender equality, and the social determinants of health. Her education and experience solidified her belief in the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to well-being—one that takes both personal and structural factors into account. She aspires to work in the development field to address inequalities and make a positive impact.

Currently, Farida is a project coordinator intern with Save the Children’s Gaza Response team.

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.

Yafa Alshayeb

Yafa holds a B.A. in Pharmacy. Through the Lazord Fellowship, she is placed at Generations for Peace (GFP) as Programs Coordinator. Her areas of focus will be on on protection, gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support, assisting in volunteer training, building partnerships with the National Counselor for Family Affairs, and many other activities.