In the words of Amna Amin: “Now, every woman we empower goes on to empower another”

Amna Amin is a Sudanese refugee and the founder of Al Salwa for Development Association, a thriving safe space and community initiative in Egypt since 2020. Over the years, it has expanded to provide vocational training, courses, bazaars, psychosocial support and awareness sessions to enhance women’s resilience, as well as children’s education, art and gardening to help those traumatized by conflict and war. Founded in Cairo, the association recently opened a new branch in Moneeb. Amna, who is currently pursuing a PhD in social pathology, describes how participating in a the Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection (LEAP) psychodrama workshop helped kickstart her own empowerment journey.

When I first arrived in Egypt in 2015, I was a young mother carrying both hope and heartbreak. My first son was born with a hearing deficiency and instead of finding comfort, I faced criticism, shame and isolation from those closest to me. I had a degree in journalism and communication, but I wasn’t working — I was simply surviving.

Everything changed in 2018, when I joined a UN Women Egypt’s LEAP psychodrama workshop implemented by Dawar Arts. At first, I was skeptical. I didn’t know what to expect. But the workshop opened a door to a completely new world – a world of healing, self-discovery and empowerment.

It was during those sessions that I came to understand that female genital mutilation, which I experienced as a child in Sudan, was violence. My mother, an educated woman, fought against it. But my grandmother did it behind her back. I carried that pain for years without understanding its weight.

I realized that refugee women experience so many forms of violence, many of which we don’t even recognize as violence. That realization changed me completely.

After completing several workshops, I began volunteering, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to give back. I started small, hosting storytelling sessions from my home. That space slowly became a safe place for others to share, heal and support each other.

When a representative from the Japanese Embassy visited Dawar, with the National Council for Women and UN Women Egypt, to meet beneficiaries, we shared our stories and dreams. He listened with compassion. We told him we wanted to do more, and to pass on the support we had received. Soon after, the UN Women Egypt offered us training-of-trainers opportunities. That was a turning point.

The war in Sudan hit us hard. I knew I had to do more. I decided to dedicate a physical safe space for refugees [including Sudanese, Eritrean, Somali, Syrian and others] – a place for women to rebuild their lives.

[The Al Salwa for Development Association] started with a handful of volunteers. Today, we are over 40 volunteers from different nationalities, supported by generous Egyptians who donate food, medicine, furniture, books – anything they can.

We keep the training costs minimal so the project can sustain itself. We also organize exhibitions that bring Egyptians and refugees together. These events build social cohesion and create real friendships.

We want women to be productive, independent and proud. When a woman earns her own income, she becomes stronger, not just for herself, but for her entire family.

My husband, an IT engineer, supports me completely, emotionally, financially and even in household chores. He also volunteers to speak with men from our community, encouraging them to allow their wives or sisters to participate in workshops and trainings.

Before joining the LEAP workshops, I was shy, introverted and full of self-doubt. Today, I am confident, courageous and leading an organization that changes lives – including my own. The support provided by UN Women Egypt’s programme didn’t just help us survive. It helped us live again. That support was like pouring water onto a dying tree, bringing it back to life.

From a shy survivor of violence against women to a confident leader and researcher, my journey is proof of what empowerment truly means. [LEAP] support gave us not just opportunities, but determination. You helped us become better versions of ourselves. And now, every woman we empower goes on to empower another.”

The workshops that Amna joined were organized under the framework of “Leadership, Empowerment, Access and Protection” programme. This programme, is part of a regional initiative aimed at providing sustainable solutions to refugee, displaced, and host community women in Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. It was implemented by UN Women Egypt in partnership with the National Council for Women, and UNHCR Egypt, with the generous support of the Government of Japan.