Samar's story

Samar Rami: Dialogue & conversation are what you need to be an active member of your family

My name is Samar, I’m 19 years-old and I live with my mother and siblings. My brother studies in an institute and my sister is enrolled in the Girls' Dreams program. I'm the oldest amongst my siblings. My mother is a tailor and she is the head of our household. My sister and I help her by doing embroidery on the clothes she sews. My father is a fisherman, and we know nothing about him since he left home many years ago.

We are originally from the Fayoum governorate, but we left it to move to Ezbeit Khair Allah due to the bad conditions of our house in Fayoum, ad the inappropriate way that we used to be dealt with by our neighbours. Back then, I was in school but I dropped out at grade 7 because of the teachers and colleagues who used to deal with us meanly. However, I always wanted to continue my education and be a well-educated person.

I first heard about ADEW and the Girls' Dreams program through my young sister, and my mother encouraged me to participate in it. After my participation I learnt many things and felt the drastic change that occurred with my level of knowledge and my personality in general. In Girls' Dreams, I learned how to make my own decisions. This was really helpful when someone proposed to me, but I didn’t think he was suitable for me, so I turned him down. However, when another guy proposed, whom I liked, I accepted him and we got engaged.

Furthermore, I used to be aggressive, shout and fight with my family; but after the program, I've become calmer and more helpful at home with my mum. This has also changed her attitude towards me, and that of the other people I usually communicate with, because simply I've become more decent and self-confident.

I'd love to pursue my studies through literacy classes, and in fact, I insist on sending my children to school and never pull them out of it.

Girl’s Dreams has also taught me about my self-hygiene, about cleaning raw food & leading a healthier life in that respect. It also taught me how to better converse with my family and have healthy conversations with them, now that I've become calmer and more self confident.

My current ambition is to run my own business in embroidery.

Girls Dreams