"Helmik Beidik - Your Dream is in Your Hand" is a groundbreaking collaboration between the Ursula Zindel-Hilti Foundation and Ashoka Arab World to empower women in Egypt’s most socially and economically vulnerable communities. For the first time, Helmik Beidik has:
- Changed perceptions of female sex workers by their communities in Egypt
- Improved women’s perceptions of themselves and increased their self-esteem to stand up for their daughters in family decisions, e.g. until now only:
- 6% would not agree for their daughters to undergo FGM
- 11% would not agree for their daughters to be married before the age of 18
- Strengthened the operational processes of our partner organization Al Shehab, the only organization in Egypt committed to improving the socio-economic situation of female sex workers led by Ashoka Fellow Reda Shoukry
- Guided 20 women in developing entrepreneurial skills, including writing business plans to form their own microbusinesses
After the life-changing results and success of Helmik Beidik, the UZH Foundation and Ashoka Arab World decided to continue their commitment and efforts to empower disadvantaged communities through a new project with Ashoka Fellow Nawal Mostafa and her organization Children of Women Prisoners Association. Nawal’s organization is the first in Egypt to work with impoverished female prisoners and to introduce systemic changes in Egyptian prisons. This project will directly benefit 45 stigmatized women former prisoners and indirectly reach 500+ individuals.