Haileybury Cairo: The Best of British Education in Egypt

Haileybury

Principal of Haileybury School, Jane Knight, tells us all we need to know about this new educational establishment.

Is this new school in Cairo the first offshoot of Haileybury in the UK?

Haileybury opened in the UK almost 150 years ago, but 12 years ago we opened our first international branch in Kazakhstan. Haileybury Cairo is the youngest member of the family but it comes with a rich heritage from the UK.

What prompted the decision to open a new school in Egypt?

We have people contacting us from all around the world to partner with Haileybury but we are not just a franchise and we don’t sell our name. We are a branch, meaning that Haileybury UK is actively involved in running things.

What ages does the curriculum cover?

Children have to be 3 years old by the end of August before they can enter foundation stage 1. We will be having a year 13 for students who are almost 18 years old.

Will the system be aligned with the British educational system?

We are accredited by Cambridge International and the British Council and we will be following the Cambridge International primary program for children from year 1 upwards. However, our programs are adapted to be culturally suitable for Egyptian and international students as well.

Which local and British qualifying examinations will be covered within the curriculum?

We will be following the Cambridge board IGCSE examinations.

What can you tell us about the campus here in Giza in terms of design, layout, amenities and sports facilities?

Our campus here is truly outstanding. We have an indoor sports hall that is simply enormous. Upstairs there are three additional spaces that can be used for gymnastics, drama, karate, or training, one will be a gym. The outdoor facilities include a full-size football pitch, 5 courts, a 25-meter pool, and currently under construction an Olympic size pool.

We really hope that Haileybury Cairo becomes a hub for the community so that everyone can use our facilities after school hours. We also have a theater that could be a great resource for the local community.

How will you be covering classes and tuition under the new Covid 19 social distancing restrictions?

We have already successfully opened 2 schools in Kazakhstan following protocols for Covid 19. We are constantly looking at the best international standards and regulations and updating our protocols in line. We are confident that we will be able to open in September 2021 following any guidelines set by the Egyptian government.

What do you consider to be Haileybury’s outstanding points, in terms of ethos and educational approach?

Haileybury is a holistic school, which means that academics are important but so is the focus on the development of the child. Every child is unique so we make sure that our curriculum is rich and broad enough to allow children the chance to excel in their own gifts, talents and desires.

We also provide a huge range of activities after school called CCAs (Core Curricular Activities) allowing children to explore different areas of learning. Speech therapists and occupational therapists will come in and work with children who need any additional help. To make sure that all barriers to learning are removed so every child can achieve their potential. Our CCAs are optional, however, we would expect children to participate in some of those because they are enrichment activities.

Although children spend a lot of time at school it is important to remember that you, the parent, are still the primary educator in your child’s life. That is why it is vital that you are involved in your child’s learning journey. At Haileybury Cairo, we work alongside our parents as Partners in Learning to make sure that you are fully aware of what and how your child is learning, their achievements and their progress through Parent Teacher Conferences, termly target reports, Open Mornings, Celebrations of Learning and other special events.

We expect our parents to be an active part of the Haileybury community and our Haileybury Parents Associate is a great way for parents to get together and support each other as well as the school. Our weekly Coffee Mornings are parent workshops so you can have a deeper understanding of what and how we teach, because learning in the 21st century classroom might be a bit different from your memory of school!

Haileybury
Jane Knight, Haileybury Cairo School Principle

At Haileybury Cairo, we have Arabic Language lessons for all our children, even in FS1. All children also have other specialist lessons such as music, swimming, sports and art as part of their curriculum.

How can parents be a part of their children’s academic life?

It is vital that parents are involved in their child’s learning journey. At Haileybury Cairo, we work alongside parents as Partners in Learning to make sure that you are fully aware of what and how your child is learning, their achievements and their progress through Parent Teacher Conferences, termly target reports, Open Mornings, Celebrations of Learning and other special events.

We expect parents to be an active part of the Haileybury community, our weekly Coffee Mornings are parent workshops so you can have a deeper understanding of what and how we teach.

What percentage of the teachers are expatriate native English speakers?

All of our class teachers are UK trained and qualified and native English speakers. Assistant teachers are fluent in both Arabic and English.

When are your Open Days?

Every Wednesday. I will give you a tour of the campus and share more of who we are and why Haileybury is the right choice for you.

When do you expect the school to be fully operational?

We will be opening for the next academic year.

How can applications be submitted?

Fill out an application through our website Haileyburycairo.com or call us and we will happily guide you through the process. Or come visit at any time for a tour.

6 Engaging & Educational After School Activities For Kids

Mansour Group Invests in a €100m Football Partnership with Right To Dream

Mansour Group with Right To Dream

Using football to bring life-changing opportunities through sports and education for the children of Egypt. Right To Dream, the global opportunity-creating ecosystem of football academies, professional football clubs and partnering colleges and universities, founded by visionary British social entrepreneur Tom Vernon, has formed a new €100 million partnership with the Mansour Group to help bring greater access, opportunity and equality through football.

  • Long-term partnership to fuel growth in purpose-driven approach to global football
  • Mohamed Mansour becomes Chairman with Loutfy Mansour joining the Right To Dream Board
  • Egypt to host new purpose-driven Football Academy and create a new Egyptian professional women’s team
  • Mohammed Wasfy appointed as Managing Director and board member for Right To Dream Egypt 

The investment in Right To Dream by Man Capital LLP, the UK-based investment arm of the Mansour Group, is being made through Man Sports, a new entity established for the partnership, and will see €30m dedicated to establishing a Right To Dream academy in West Cairo.

Right To Dream will extend their academy model to Egypt, by offering a platform to discover talents and develop high-performance athletes with a focus on education, following the same model as the successful academies in Ghana and Denmark.

Closely following the opening of the new academy, the launch of a new professional women’s football team will take place. This elite women’s team will showcase purpose-driven female athletes at their best, embodying the Right To Dream brand and model with an aspiration to recruit and attract top talent into Egyptian professional women’s football.

This comes in line with Egypt’s social development plans and public awareness strategy in promoting the importance of equality and inclusion in sports, as well as enhancing youth participation in shaping the future of their country and contributing to Egypt’s 2030 vision.

Speaking about the investment, Mr Mohamed Mansour, Chairman of the Mansour Group, said: “I could not be prouder to be investing in and partnering with Tom and his team at Right To Dream, who are inspirational for the life-changing work they undertake with talented boys and girls across Africa, Europe and the Americas.

We have long taken a close interest in the work they are doing and are delighted to be announcing our partnership today. Not only are we a family of football fans, indeed my uncle Mostafa Kamel Mansour even represented Egypt in the 1934 World Cup, but we are committed to supporting communities across Africa, through our foundations and other philanthropic activities.”

An official on behalf of the Ministry of Education commented: “The Ministry of Education is eager on Right to Dream’s venture onto Egyptian soil and its promises to provide a new era of edu-sport development for our youth. Mansour Group is taking major steps towards creating social evolutions that go hand in hand with the ministry’s visions for the future of education in Egypt.”Mansour Group with Right To Dream

Tom Vernon, who continues in his role as CEO of Right To Dream Group, said: “For 20 years Right To Dream has been using football as a vehicle for bringing life-changing opportunities through sport and education for children and their communities. This partnership helps Right To Dream accelerate global expansion plans to provide more opportunities for more children around the world, continuing to put people and purpose at the center of football. With the support of the Mansour Group, we continue to aspire to the creation of a new standard of purpose-driven sports for clubs academies and players.”

Right To Dream academies are not simply a pipeline for talent, they are platforms of opportunity for the boys and girls who come into contact with them, on and off the field. Established in Ghana before expanding into Europe and North America, Right To Dream academies aim to merge people and purpose through the lens of football. The academies have links to world-class universities and educational establishments and provide a personal development environment for young people who lack access to schooling and sport.

Having already graduated over 140 students, with 82 students currently at the academy, Right To Dream has a vision to create a global chain of academies that fundamentally change the role clubs play in football today. Pippa Grange, Right To Dream’s new Global Chief Culture Officer says, “Skills on the field are just as important as education, character development and aspiration off it. Right To Dream develops every aspect of a child’s life, giving them the best possible support and preparation to make their way in the world.”

Right To Dream is working towards a different future for global football. “We believe there can be a greater purpose-driven model in football where clubs take an active role in social change, rather than leaning on individual athlete-driven social consciousness. Our academies do exactly that and once Egypt is firmly established, we will set our sights on the UK. With our partners and our strong experienced team, we are hungry to do more for the growing elite sporting talent and educational achievements of children coming through our academies, to help them achieve their dreams”, concluded Vernon.

Author Ronnie Explores Cairo’s Ultras in his New Book

Natural DIY Hair Masks for Healthier Hair

DIY Hair Masks

Store-bought beauty products aren’t the best, filled with chemicals and stuff that hurt your hair more than heal it on the long term. These easy DIY mask recipes have proven excellent results with dry damaged hair, and the great part is that they are all made with ingredients you can find in your kitchen!

By Mariam Elhamy

Honey, Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar – For Dry Dull Hair

A nourishing mask that will add a nice shine to your hair.

Ingredients: Equal parts raw organic honey with apple cider vinegar and coconut oil

Directions: Apply the blend to damp hair and leave on for at least 20 minutes, then shampoo out. It’s great for all hair types and helps lock in color as well.

Coconut Oil and Sugar – For Flakes

This is an exfoliating treatment that helps remove and reduce flakes. You could also use it as a great facial scrub.

DIY Hair MasksIngredients: 2 tablespoons of raw unrefined coconut oil, 4 teaspoons of raw sugar, 5 drops of peppermint oil, 2 drops of tea tree oil

Directions: In a small bowl, mix ingredients together. Using your fingers, apply mixture directly to clean, damp hair in the shower. Once evenly applied, gently massage for 1-3 minutes and then clip your hair up and let it sit for the duration of your shower.

Cinnamon and Coconut Oil – To Elongate Hair

For hair that just won’t grow, this blend of cinnamon and oil stimulates blood circulation and promotes hair growth and strength.

DIY Hair MasksIngredients: Equal parts cinnamon and coconut oil

Directions: Blend ingredients together well. Apply the mask onto your hair and massage into your scalp. Let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes and rinse. Aim to do this mask at least once a week.

Avocado, Egg, and Olive Oil – For Damage

This hair mask is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants which provide the ultimate strength and shine for your hair and help rejuvenate and moisturize your scalp.

DIY Hair MasksIngredients: Half an avocado, 1 egg, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and 1 tbsp of honey

Directions: Using your fingers, apply to wet hair starting at the bottom and working your way up. For better results wrap your hair into a bun and cover with a shower cap. To help activate the ingredients, blow-dry your shower cap-covered hair for 10 minutes or apply a hot towel under your shower cap. Then let it sit for another 20 minutes and wash out in the shower.

Greek Yoghurt – For Hair Loss

Yogurt contains a number of vitamins and proteins that are great for helping your hair to grow and replenish, it moisturizes, nourishes and reduces breakage.

Ingredients: Equal parts greek yogurt, honey and apple cider vinegar

Directions: Mix yogurt with honey and apple cider vinegar. Apply to your hair and leave for 30 mins then wash. Note: You could replace the vinegar with any essential oil.

Rosemary and Lavender Oil – For Softness and Scent

This wonderfully scented hair mask will leave your hair so smooth and silky! It conditions dry, damaged hair, makes dull hair shiny and can tame frizz.

DIY Hair MasksIngredients: 1/2 cup coconut oil, 10-15 drops lavender essential oil and 10-15 drops rosemary essential oil

Directions: Combine ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir gently to incorporate. Apply mask to hair then tie it up in a bun for at least 30 minutes while the mask sets in.

Banana and Olive Oil – For Moisturizing 

Banana hydrates and moisturizes dull, damaged, dry hair, as it’s rich in vitamins and minerals that can strengthen hair. Olive oil is rich in healthy fats and vitamin E, which can make the hair look shinier and heal damage, breakage and split ends.

DIY Hair MasksIngredients: 1 ripe banana and 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions: Blend or mash the banana until it reaches a lump-free puree. Add the olive oil and continue blending. The result should be a creamy, frothy hair mask. While in the shower, apply the mask throughout the hair and scalp with fingers. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

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13 Florists for Valentine’s Day

florists

Unique occasions deserve unique gifts and making someone happy can have a huge effect on your day. Buy some flowers from your nearest vendor and brighten up someone’s day on Valentine’s day.

Awan El Ward

Location: Sheikh Zayed
Facebook: @AwanElWardofficial
Tel: 0115 933 3344

Beit Mariam- The Florist

Location: Maadi
Facebook: @Beit Mariam The Florist
Tel: 0100 324 0018

Box of Roses

Location: Heliopolis
Facebook: @boxofrosesegypt
Tel: 02 2291 4800 – 0100 700 2510

Dina Iskander

Location: Dokki
Facebook: @Dina Iskander | Event & Wedding Planner
Tel: 0122 775 5749

Fleurtation Flowers

Location: Dokki
Facebook: @fleurtation.eg
Tel: 0106 848 2217

Flower Power

Location: Mohandessin
Facebook: @FlowerPowerEG
Tel: 0127 770 5777

Hope Flowers

Location: Heliopolis
Facebook: @hopeflowerscairo
Tel: 02 24144840 – 0122 558 8000

Lotus Flowers

Location: Zamalek
Facebook: @Lotus flowers
Tel: 0114 025 6660

Rousique

Location: Heliopolis
Facebook: @RousiqueEgypt
www.rousique.com

Royal Flowers

Facebook: @RoyalFlowers.eg
Tel: 0111 009 1010

Sally Helmy

Location: 5th Settlement
Facebook: @sallyhelmyfleuriste
Tel: 0127 706 0790
www.sallyhelmy.com

Salah El Din Flowers

Location: El Manial
Facebook: @Salah ElDin Flowers
Tel: 02 23622610

Zinnia Flower Factory

Location: Sheikh Zayed
Facebook: @Wedding & Event Planner Zinnia
Tel: 0109 840 0303

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide For Her and For Him

Live A More Natural Life with these Fabrics and Decor

It’s indisputable. We are spending much more time at home these days. So it should hardly come as a surprise that home design is seeing a major swerve towards bringing the beauty of nature into our living spaces.

Biomimicry sees us using plants and wildlife across every facet of our interiors, and the ongoing trend towards sustainable and natural materials in our furniture and home accessories is as strong as ever. Embrace the change!

Motif Fabrics and Wallpapers

Natural look wallpaper with fabrics for curtains & upholstery.

Facebook: Motif Eg / Instagram: @motifeg

Redecorate Your Home with a Few Inexpensive Hacks

Vendors contact information:

Motif Fabrics and Wallpapers
Facebook: motifeg
Instagram: motif.eg

Nina Found Home
Web: www.ninafoundhome.com
Facebook: @Ninafoundhome

ZARA HOME
Web: www.zarahome.com/eg/
Facebook / Instagram: @zarahome

IKEA
Web: www.ikea.com/eg/en/
Facebook / Instagram: @ikeaegypt

Caravanserai
Web: www.caravanserai-design.com
Facebook / Instagram: @caravanseraidesign

TAREK SALLAB
Web: www.tarekelsallab.com
Facebook: @ tarekelsallab.org
Instagram: @ elsallab.tarekelsallab

TABARAK LINENS EGYPT
Web: www.tablinensegypt.com

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide For Her and For Him

Just because we can’t go out like we used to doesn’t mean we can’t make this Valentine’s just as special as every year. Here are a few gift ideas to wow your loved one on Valentine’s day.

For Her

Clarity Jewelry

Make it a sparkling Valentine’s Day with exquisitely crafted jewelry featuring rubies and diamonds set in 18k gold.

Facebook: Clarity Jewelry
Instagram: @ClarityJewelry

Orofine Jewelry

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Italian bracelets in 18k gold and ring with semi-precious stones set in handmade Egyptian gold.

Facebook: Oro Jewels
Instagram: @orofinejewels

Mimzo Jewelry

Valentine's Day Gift IdeasPendant, earrings and ring in 18k gold with opal, amethyst, peridot, blue topaz and pink garnet.

Facebook: shahnas70
Instagram: @mimzojewellery
Tel: 0128 672 2223
Website: mimzojewellry.com

Noon Essentials

Valentine's Day Gift IdeasYour Valentine’s essential. The Noir KARMELL Boots and Bag Set.

Facebook: Noon – Nada Gomaa
Instagram: @noon.footwear.designs & @noon.essentials

Areej Aromatherapy

Rose and Lavender Aromatherapy Sprays.

Facebook: Areej Aromatherapy
Instagram: @areej_aromatherapy
Website: areejaromatherapy.com

Breathe Salon & Spa

Valentine's Day Gift IdeasValentines is for pampering and relaxing at BREATHE Salon & Spa. Pamper your loved ones with a relaxing massage, a reviving facial, a Moroccan bath or any of the salon and
nail spa services. You can get beautiful gift cards for your Valentine!

Facebook: Breathe Spa Eg
Instagram: @breathespaeg
Tel: 0103 334 1144 – 0103 334 1155
Website: breathespas.com

For Him

Design with BIM Explained by CAD MASTERS

BIM by CAD MASTERS
Taher Saied - CAD MASTERS CEO

Architectural and interior design is the crucible in which we practice all our daily activities. The more design is compatible with our needs and harmonizes with our natures in a thoughtful manner, the better it helps us carry out our day to the fullest.

In an age of constantly changing data, designers rely on modern technologies to aid in simulating reality, which helps test design innovations, ensures meeting client requirements and communicates ideas to clients.

Also, these technologies allow designers to accurately calculate the expected costs and duration of the project, which helps all stakeholders develop a clear time and economic plan and control the project’s cash flows.

CAD (computer-aided design) and BIM (building information modeling)

In the beginning, designers used CAD (computer-aided design) technology, which has now been replaced by BIM (building information modeling).

Through BIM, we are able to fully coordinate between all designers across various disciplines under one project: architectural, interior, electrical, air conditioning, lighting, landscape etc. This gives the client a comprehensive idea of all project details before starting the construction stage.

This coordination between all disciplines through BIM has made us simply able to reduce project costs to the least possible extent by studying different design alternatives and also by avoiding errors in implementation that can accumulate cost.

One of the most distinctive features of BIM technology is its applicability to all types and sizes of projects, whether residential, commercial or industrial.

For more than 13 years, CAD MASTERS has taken it upon itself to spread the latest technologies in the field of construction, design and interior in Egypt and the Arab world.

BIM by CAD MASTERSAs an authorized partner of major international companies producing and developing engineering programs and software such as Autodesk, Bentley, Tekla and Rhinoceros, CAD MASTERS trained more than forty thousand engineers in all disciplines. It has also trained major companies in Egypt, whether they are developers, consultants, designers or contractors.

This training contributed to the development of business in mega projects in Egypt, such as the Administrative Capital, compounds, roads network, power stations and other projects. It is an honor to see our mark now on all projects in Egypt.

Because of our belief in our role in society, CAD MASTERS undertook educational initiatives with many Egyptian universities in several governorates, teaching students the latest technologies and software in the field of design and construction.

Mohamed Khalifa: Bringing Flair to Egyptian Interiors

Rooted in the Body: Grasping the Arabic Language Through Roots and Patterns

Grasping the Arabic Language Through Roots and Patterns

Lisa J. White was a Senior Instructor of Arabic (2009–2019) and former Executive Director (1993–97) of CASA (the Center for Arabic Study Abroad) at the Arabic Language Institute of the American University in Cairo, where she taught for over thirty years.

A morphology and translation enthusiast, she received the 1999 University of Arkansas Translation Prize for her translation of Mohammed Afifi’s Little Songs in the Shade of Tamaara (2000).

Here, White gives us insight into her new approach of learning Arabic, one that makes it easier for non-Arabic speakers to derive meanings, retain vocabulary, and understand the roots of words.

You said during an interview “Embodiment is the idea that human experience–and therefore human thought–is necessarily tied to the body. Without a body, we die, and so bodies have a hard-wired power over our thinking.” Is this recognition the initial driving force behind Rooted in the Body?

The seed idea for this book was actually a discovery I made while putting together a vocabulary worksheet for a higher elementary Arabic class. Because roots and patterns are essential tools for students of Arabic as a second language, it makes good sense to introduce new vocabulary side-by-side with its companion root.

You studied Arabic and have been teaching it now for over three decades. How intimidating can Arabic derivation and root attribution be for a student? Does using Arabic metaphors help to explain some of the language morphology and grammatical rules?

Arabic would be much more intimidating without its ingenious derivative system. This system is what allows students to make educated guesses about the meaning of words and the semantic links between words that share a root, or alternatively, that share a pattern. Without the derivative system, learning Arabic as an adult would be a true nightmare.

Which would be your favorite body metaphor if you had to choose one?

It’s impossible to choose a favorite. But, coming from English, one unexpected metaphor can be found in vocabulary derived from al-qalb, one of Arabic’s terms for the heart.

English tends to associate the heart with romance (heartfelt/ heartache/ heartsick/ heartbreak) and health (hearty). Arabic, however, looks at al-qalb as an organ in motion, one lacking in stability.

How advanced does the reader’s Arabic need to be in order to benefit from this unique language learning textbook?

My primary target audience is students of Arabic as a second language at the intermediate level and beyond who want to get a firm grasp of the language’s derivational system, something which greatly facilitates vocabulary acquisition and retention. This book allows students to pick and choose, smorgasbord style, and go at their own pace.

When and how did you fall in love with Arabic?

By the time I had reached my senior year in college, I had studied a little bit of a lot of languages. But when I dipped my toe into Arabic waters, I could tell that this language was one I really wanted to pursue.

At first, I loved its mysterious ‘otherness’ and was very intrigued by its morphology—those amazingly systematic roots and patterns. But I was also curious about Arab peoples, and wanted to learn more about a region I knew next to nothing about.

More book reviews here

Exclusive Talk with Egyptian Actress & Writer Rosaline Elbay

Egyptian actress and writer Rosaline Elbay who came to international fame as Amani on the Hulu/A424 series, Ramy, is also known for her debut role as Sara on the acclaimed MBC Masr series Qabeel. The one-time archaeologist, now rising screen star sat down for a virtual one-on-one with us to talk all things acting and activism.

By Aliaa Elsherbiny

Can you tell us how you landed the role of Amani in the global hit series Ramy?

They were doing some of Ramy’s auditions in Egypt, and I received a call from someone on Jehane Noujaim’s team; Jehane had directed the tenth episode of Ramy Season 1. I was briefed on the series, but with minimal detail. I went to audition without really knowing who Ramy is or what the series is about.

I was surprised when Jehane introduced me to Ramy, and because I did not know who he was at first, I greeted him and just did the scene. It was super fun, they told me to improvise and see where it was going to take me. During the middle of the scene I started to realize that Ramy was not an assistant, he was brilliant.

I have gotten used to not having an emotional attachment to auditions because you get rejected all the time. But after this particular audition, I knew I wanted to be part of it. Two days later, someone from the team called to tell me I had a wardrobe rehearsal the next day. I thought I would get to set tomorrow and find out it was all a mistake, and that there was another actress.

Do you see yourself at all in the character Amani?

Amani is a much cooler version of me, I wish I was as cool as she is. I had honestly never gotten a character that speaks to me that much. Acting in different countries and cultures, I got used to having roles that speak to my Egyptian side and some to my other side. With Amani, it was the first time where I’d read a character that spoke to all of me.

Ramy likes to relate the characters to whoever is playing them, so Amani has changed quite a bit since they first wrote her. The fact that Amani is an archeologist was written because I used to be an archeologist, so Ramy wanted her to be one too. It is not that Amani and I are the same person or that we’d make the same decisions, but I understand her and would defend her till the day I die.Rosaline Elbay Ramy

You have mentioned that Amani changed a lot, what was your role in changing her and making the character your own?

Ramy has such an amazing generosity in how he works with his actors and how he shapes the characters around them. He likes to make you comfortable and he likes it to be truthful, so during the first season, the two episodes we shot in Egypt it was only Ramy, Adel Kamal, a couple of producers from A24 and I at the reading table.

It was intimate so we were able to change a lot, and as we got to know each other better we would change things about her (Amani). Most scenes would get rewritten one or two days before filming, as we would make better decisions about the characters and their relationship.

There is always a question from Ramy before doing a scene, he would even call and ask, “Does this sound right? Would she say this?” The more that I play her, and I am lucky to go back to her, the more I become very attached. She gets a bit of me and I also get a bit of her.

Is there something specific you want to see Amani do or become in Season 3?

We have always gotten a sense of who she is without Ramy and I love that about her that she has her own life and own priorities. I don’t think that the writer’s room has even started for Season 3 but wherever the journey takes her, I want more of that.

You are a writer too, how are your writing projects moving along and do you have plans in writing for Ramy, the series?

As all of the actors on Ramy, we feel like we are kind of collaborating all the time so that has been lovely and I already feel like I am kind of contributing in the writing of the character.

We love working together and we have talked about other things maybe in the future whether on Ramy or other stuff.

Do you have other international projects in the pipeline?

Yes, but nothing has been announced yet. I am excited for this year because I am also going to focus on producing and writing as well, which is very nice and nerve wracking.

There are a couple of things but with COVID things are a lot slower and things keep getting postponed and you have to settle to a different rhythm. I am a “get things done right now” kind of person, and I am learning patience.

Because of COVID a lot of things have shifted online and became more interactive, have you thought of maybe doing projects of that kind?

At the beginning, I actually judged a competition for the Sawy Culture Wheel for short films made at home, and at first that was sort of the focus and as things took longer than we thought it would, projects that I didn’t have time for before and were in the backburner, I now have all the time for. So we are developing a few things, and one of them is sort of COVID-safe and we could pull it off if we started production while we’re still in semi-lockdown.

One of the things that I really loved out of all of this current situation is that it became more normal to have meetings and lectures online, but also theatre. A lot of theaters started to put their plays online as sort of a “pandemic thing,” then realized that it is a great module and millions of people are watching their plays so they made it permanent. Like the National Theatre, you can now go online get a subscription and watch their whole catalog.Rosaline Elbay Ramy

You are very active on social media and outspoken on women’s rights, are you concerned by the audience reaction given the backlash public figures receive speaking their minds?

The short answer is no. I have received so much advice about this from people in my life, some very well meaning and other not very well meaning, suggesting I should just focus on acting.

I do not understand people who suggest we “stay in our lanes.” At the end of the day, we are human beings and even if we chose certain careers if we are talking about issues that affect our or other people’s safety or our right to have an equal shot at life or any sort of discrimination, why would I not have an opinion about that?

Further than that, if we were lucky enough to have been given a platform for whatever reason, then I personally, don’t know what else I would do with that platform. Would I just be posting pictures of myself every week? And I do not take pictures very often so people would be disappointed.

How can we make the industry safer and more accommodating to women?

Ultimately, it is representation, and I don’t only mean in front of the camera, but behind the camera. Industries start to change when the people who run them change. The more female producers, directors and financiers you have, the more these sets are going to start to naturally sort of veer that way.

In the meantime, people should speak up more and I do not mean in terms of putting the pressure on victims to speak-out if something happens to them. I mean that if you are on set and see something that seems inappropriate, and you are a co-star, especially if you are a man or in a position of power, then it is up to you to investigate and make the person feel safe. It is going to take a lot of work and we have a long way to go.

There have been changes in terms of conversation and the vocabulary people use in terms of what is going on, but it also shows how long we still have to go. Putting the pressure on the group that is being victimized by all of this is completely unfair, so male allies are so important.

QuickFire round:

Actress that inspires you?

Micheala Cole

Pizza or burgers?

Burgers, I didn’t know that until you asked me

Sea or mountains?

Sea

Early riser or late night owl?

I am trying to convince myself that I am an early riser but I am a late night owl.

Yoga or high intensity workouts?

Yoga

Song on repeat at the moment?

I haven’t been listening to music a lot, I just have Disney movies on in the background while I am doing most things at the moment. It is a mood that I am going through.

Favorite Disney movie?

For sentimental reasons, The Sword and the Stone.

More recently, Moana.

6 Egyptian Men Who Made an Impact