Nineteen-year-old Rahma used to find it difficult to express herself and often agreed to things she didn’t want to. Now she has the power to say no and make decisions about her life.
Rahma is a 19-year-old female from Qalyoubia governorate, Egypt. Because of social norms in her village, Rahma faced challenges regarding her right to make decisions even about her own life. The way she was brought up made her refrain from expressing herself freely or making decisions.
Keen to learn
Yet, Rahma has always been keen to access information about things that affect her life and future. This trait means she has actively seized every opportunity that she comes across to learn and develop.
“I learned how to say no, and it has become a very important word in my life.”
Rahma
“I always visit the community development association in my area and enrol myself to trainings and session it provides to gain new information and skills. I see this as a great opportunity,” says Rahma.
Although Rahma has always been a keen learner, she always had a fear of expressing her views freely or speaking in public, even about matters that affected her life. She faced difficulties expressing herself and often agreed to things she didn’t want to.
“I was afraid to speak or express my opinion. I always said ‘yes’ even when I wanted to say ‘no’,” she recalled. Her parents also treated her differently from her brother, giving him privileges like a bicycle and a phone while she received nothing.
Exercising the right to decide
In April 2023, Rahma heard about a new project called Our Health, Our Decision. The name of the project itself motivated Rahma to join; she saw it as an opportunity to learn how to make decisions about her life and future.
“I did not know how to make decisions regarding my life, whether regarding my education or other things, and I used to leave the decisions to my father or mother,” she said.
“Honestly, I felt that this project would be a great opportunity for me to learn more and be part of something that would benefit all of us as girls in society,” Rahma explains.
Through the programme, Rahma has learned life skills and personal development. “I learned how to plan any goal in my mind, determine its causes, and what might happen next, so that I do not regret it,” she explained. “I learned how to say no, and it has become a very important word in my life.”
Rahma has been involved with the programme since its inception and has actively participated and engaged in 4 modules, attending one of the family days and training in computer skills.
Since embarking on this journey Rahma has overcome personal and familial challenges and become a proactive and a confident individual in her community.
“These experiences taught me many things and made me more aware of the problems that we are facing as girls in the society,” she explained.
About the project
The Our Health, Our Decision project, is funded by BMZ and Plan International Deutschland. It is being implemented in 4 target communities in Kalyoubya and Beheira governorates: 2 in each governorate. The project is focuses on strengthening the sexual and reproductive health and rights of children, adolescents and young adults, especially girls and women, and combating gender-based violence in Egypt.
Related pages
