During my two weeks in Farafra oasis, this was a recurring conversation:
“Who are you?We are group of international volunteers
Do you get paid?It wouldn’t be volunteerism if we did.
Egypt needs more people like you.
Volunteerism, a concept that has recently resurfaced despite it being rooted in many religions, remains alien to a lot of Egyptians, particularly those who inhabit the rural, marginalized areas of the country. In an attempt to spread this idea, 30 volunteers from across continents and ages took part in a two-week project designed to spread the spirit of volunteerism, mobilize members of a small community and encourage them to become active contributors to their society.
Through carrying out a number of projects we were not only able to deliver that message, but we mobilized a group of five individuals who are starting up their own organization (they are now volunteering every Friday) and built a relationship with an entire community.
A little history
Farafra is home to some 4,000 people. The mud brick houses, its narrow roads and the rarity of cars give it a unique character. There is one main road in Farafra, along which is situated the hospital, city council, library and a couple of schools.
It was around September 2008 when I visited Farafra with the four other staff members of the IPP, the International People’s Project It wasn’t the first time for me in the oasis, however; I’ve been involved in Farafra since December 2006. During the September trip we met with members of the community, both formally and informally. We met with young, enthusiastic leaders, government officials as well as key figures. Along with a group of young Farafroni volunteers, we were able to draft our vision, set our goals and work out a plan. We decided three projects: small-scale construction, reviving a social center for the Farafroni women and planning mini-camps for the children.
Leaving behind a “monument
By the time we left Farafra, we had built three public shades. Two of them are situated on the main road, and the third one was on a side road in front of a school gate. From contributing to the designs of the shades, digging out the trunks of dead palm trees, and bundling their leaves, to putting in the foundations, leveling them up with cement bricks to brushing it over with sand; it was a learning experience for all, foreigners and Egyptians alike.
In Farafra, a community largely dependent on agriculture, almost everyone owns a palm tree and almost everyone knows how to use an axe. And although this is an activity traditionally performed by men, by the end of the project, the female international participants were doing everything in construction, with the exception of carrying out trunks from the fields to the main road.
It was uplifting to see members of the community opening up to the idea of women in the workforce. Of course, we were regarded as foreigners, Egyptians included, so we could get away with anything. But to us, the reason was not to challenge the norm but merely to present something different, bridge cultures and create dialogue, and that was met with open minds.
Building the shades was a big chunk of our daily schedule. We worked in the mornings, wearing t shirts that said ‘Ana Motatawaa’ Ta’ala Sa’aidni’ (I’m a volunteer come give me a hand). We started with 30 volunteers, 60 working hands. By the end, well let’s just say I couldn’t keep count.
Farafroni women
The first afternoon spent with the women in the local library was dubbed “The Beauty Party. Everyone was excited, old and young. There were three stations, one at each corner: hair, make-up and nails.
Everyone wore make-up; everyone was walking around with a smile. I was translating. “Can you tell her that I want purple nail polish, not pink? , “Can we keep all this makeup? , “Are you coming to the library again tomorrow?
Farafra does not have a hairdresser, and so the idea of this afternoon was to provide them with the tools to set up their own hairdresser. Two of the women were voted responsible for the make-up kit so when one of them is getting married, they can volunteer to make her up.
It was through dancing, singing, exchanging make-up tips, making boxes out of scrap paper and frames out of empty candy bags that the Farafroni women interacted with the international volunteers. It was a relationship built on sharing, and mutual trust.
The series of meetings with the women ended with a discussion about how they can use the library as a venue for weekly meetings and how they see themselves contributing to their society. From wanting to learn English to wanting to master computer skills, the young women quickly shared their concerns, and debated ideas of how to tackle them.
“I am currently taking an English course. Maybe I could pass on some of what I learn to you guys, said Walaa.
Informal education with the children
On three different days, we visited a primary school 10 km away from downtown Farafra. Dividing ourselves into groups, we carried out a few activities for the different age groups. The activities, although occasionally involving pen and paper, are designed to informally integrate concepts of leadership, cooperation and communication.
“I’ve never seen my teachers play with their students, said the headmaster of a local school in Farafra.
With anticipation in their eyes, every morning the kids came running when we arrived, shouting our names. The teachers, with whom we shared a booklet of activities would frequently say: “It’s so amazing how you can get them to stand in line without having to shout.
Situations that left me in awe
On our last day in Farafra, around 13 of us, all female, were invited to have lunch at one of the locals’ home. Only 16 years old, Abeer was an active participant throughout the entire project.
As we sat comfortably on the floor of her dining room, I couldn’t help but commend the courage of this young lady. “Mom, I am inviting some friends over, I imagined her saying. “Hmm I don’t know their names; they’re from all over the world.
For a 16-year-old who didn’t speak English and lived in a simple home with a family comprised of her mother, aunt, siblings and cousins, this was a huge undertaking.
After lunch, we all sat in their living room; a beautifully decorated space with a TV set and mattresses stretched along its perimeter. Over fruit and urban-looking, tetra pack chocolate milk, every group of volunteers presented the family with gifts from their home country. They were met with warm smiles, a little bit of excitement and genuine gratitude. The rest of the evening was filled with singing, dancing and picking fruits and vegetables as we walked through the family-run fields.
On a separate evening, Mohamed Gebril, a Farafroni volunteer we worked with before as well as during the project, addressed the entire community in one of the cultural festival nights we held on the city’s public stage.
“Why are we waiting for someone to serve us? Why don’t you take it upon ourselves to make this city, this country, a better place. . dependency is going to hinder our progress . we should strive for self-sufficiency, he said.
“These people here, he went on, pointing at us, “have left their countries, their lives to volunteer in Farafra. But they are only here for two weeks. We were born here, have grown up here and will probably live here till we die. . I urge you all to take this as an opportunity to remember your responsibilities toward the community you live in.
Gebril’s speech left a 200-some crowd in silence, listening carefully, nodding their heads. This moment was not just memorable to me, but to many other participating volunteers as well.
And to the community, I believe this was a decisive moment, watching one of their very own passionately calling upon them to become more involved in their community.
It was the very essence of volunteerism modeled to the Farafronis. This, and many other moments, filled me with joy and satisfac
tion, and hope for this country to slowly be going somewhere.
This project was planned under the umbrella of CISV Egypt, a non-political, non-governmental organization that promotes peace education, global friendship and cross-cultural understanding. The Farafra project is part of its International People’s Project program. For more information about the organization, check www.cisv.org
