Shadia Ali Mahmoud

"By my work and my efforts, I could raise up 8 sons and daughters and help them to have marriage. My family and neighbors chose me to have the perfect women award."

Shadia Ali Mahmoud is a strong Egyptian woman who lived in a ordinary family, was married to as humble positio employee and gave birth to 8 children. She endured hard life conditions in order to give her children a good education. Shadia decided to work in order to cover the expenses of her orphans was not helped except By God or Allah. She decided to take a loan form ADEW “ The association for the development and enhancement of women” to enlarge her project in order to cover her children’s expenses. Then, she achieved her small-scale project and had the perfect woman award. Shadia told her story by saying the following:

“ My name is shadia, 59 years old. My husband was died 25 years ago. He was worked as government employee. His pension is small and doesn’t cover children’s expenses. After his death, I was the only responsible for my home and my 8 children. When my husband died I felt that life stopped and started thinking about ways to give good education for my children. I was working a patisserie so I first decided to return to this job. But I found that it does not covers all expenses of my children who were different education such as university, private institution and secondary school. Therefore, I decided to sell chicken and vegetables to cover these expenses. I worked in selling vegetables and chickens for 18 years as I promised to give every better thing to my children. Sadly and because my work I gained a pain in my back. Therefore, a doctor advised not carry heavy burdens to save my health. So, I decided to leave this job and my children advised me to work in sliver accessories as this job suits my health conditions. Hopefully, I had a sliver accessories workshop and was able to help my children to continue their education. In a certain period of time I felt that have a heavy burden after my daughter was divorced and came with her three children to live with me. So I started thinking how to increase my income and borrowed money from my neighbors. But I discovered that borrowing caused losses for me. One of my females neighbors advised me to take a loan from ADEW “ The association for the development and enhancement of women” as this association provides suitable loans that fit my economic conditions. Fortunately, after knowing the required steps to take a loan, I took a 2000 L.E loan. This loan helped me to enlarge my project and purchase more supplies, so my income increased and I was able to cover the expenses of my children and their sons. I could pay off the parts of loans regularly. When I paid off my loan, I was in a need to take another loan to enlarge the project more, so I decided to take 2500 L.E loan. And by this loan, I could purchase more items other than accessories such as female and male perfumes. My number of customers increased. Also I was able to help my children to marriage. I was also able to cover the expenses of my divorced daughter and her children. After paying off this current loan, I am planning to take 5000 L.E loan. ADEW “ The association for the development and enhancement of women” did change my life positively as it helped me to enlarge my project, provide marriage for my children, provide a good trousseau for my daughters. ADEW also helped me to cover my children’s sons’ educational expenses.

I do always love people and deal with them in a good manner. I also love helping them. I did let many female neighbors of mine know the association in take loans and increase their income.

Eventually, I hope that I can pilgrimage in Mecca and my divorced daughter’s state gets better. I want to tell every woman that by working is the most important thing in live. As by working, she can be self-independent. I am strong women for my neighbors and family and they chose me receive the ideal woman prize as I was able to raise up my children, provide a good education for them and help them to have a good trousseau. And hopefully, I will help my children’s sons too.