“lo’met ei-sh” was the proverb that I heard the most as I listened to these women share their stories. “lo’met ei-sh” is an Egyptian proverb, which literally translates to “a piece of bread”. It is commonly used to describe how one makes a living or provides for their family with as little as a simple meal.

Egypt’s social division of class is defined by the very areas of one’s living and means of making a living. The women I met and interviewed are constricted within the walls of their social status that was built by society. They are referred to as the lower working class. They live and work in poverty. They are survivors of inequality and misleading traditions and social norms. To these women, definitions and walls are the least of their concerns. Their will to survive, providing ‘lo’met ei-sh ’for their families, their journey to financial independence, supporting their elders and siblings, making way for their children’s education, and carrying the burden of social expectations completely overshadows their efforts to gaining social justice.

As a woman, as a single mother and provider for my own tiny family, these women’s stories and struggles demanded my respect. It is my very intent that I choose to disrupt social definitions and to challenge statuses by learning from, experiencing with, and by acknowledging these powerful women and sharing their stories with the world. Poverty maybe obscuring their journey and they may not have the means nor the space to express their leading roles in society, but they surely were able to empower me to take on this important project and, hopefully, fulfil its purpose of revealing the true beauty of all Egyptian women, regardless of their social status.

I was welcomed into their lives for brief moments. They trusted me with their stories, their personal spaces, their families, and their places of work. My attempts to any monetary gestures of appreciation were always gracefully declined. Instead, I was met with generosity, kindness, and open heartedness. The social structures that are welded by society crumbled in front of my eyes. And there amidst the dust stood real women with unmatched strength and determination who carry their “3ezetnafs” self-worth on a flag high and proud.

This project has left me in awe of the spectacular of our present-day women of Egypt. I learned that our society is ruled by these very women who are denied access to equal privileges and equal opportunities based on their social class. They are survivors of their own realities. A reality where men have traditionally been given authoritative roles, a realty where they work in the worst conditions, where they live in the worst conditions, where they are forced to provide for their entire family out of necessity, and a reality where they raise their kids with the least means to do so. These women are misrepresented, undervalued, and even entirely dismissed by society. I hope this glimpse of reality serves to honor and appreciate every woman I have met throughout the process.

The Real Queens of Egypt idea was conceived by these women’s strengths, and it retells their stories and honors their determination and daily struggle for survival within an unforgiving society.

This project changed my own perceptions of Egyptian women. When I talk about Egyptian women, I imagine power, strength, beauty, resilience, and dedication.

I see women who have nothing materialistic, yet everything to be proud of. They carry their families "in their eyes" - as we say it, and the weight of society on their shoulders.

They are not statues or ancient figures!

I hope any of these women come to mind the next time I introduce myself as an Egyptian woman because these women are authentic and real!

They are ... The Real Queens of Egypt