Whether Muslim or Coptic Christian, married or single, veiled or not, women are running their own businesses in Egypt. It was my great privilege to meet some of them last week in Cairo, at a conference sponsored by the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen’s Network (MENA), Vital Voices Global Partnership and the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. State Department. Scores of these women entrepreneurs gathered at the Cairo Marriott, a former palace that has retained its palatial ambience, for two days of information, education and good ole sister-bonding. 

I was one of three Corporate Ambassadors, women representing American business, who were hosted by Vital Voices to present talks at the conference. In addition to participating in a panel on Surviving Turbulent Economic Times, I facilitated an in-depth workshop of the personal development processes and technology utilized in our Count Me In Leadership Institutes and Make Mine a Million $ Business events. But before we got down to the business of business, we took to the streets for some serious sightseeing and souk shopping. 

After a little bit of fare negotiating with our cab driver, we strapped in for a wild ride through Cairo’s streets. About the only rules pedestrians, car, truck and bus drivers, cyclists and the donkey carts appear to agree upon is that there are no rules when it comes to the road. One barely pauses for red lights, folks on foot pay no attention to cross walks, and vigorous hand waving and shouting is much preferred over turn signals. 

Our destination over several trips during our five days in Cairo was the 700-year old Khan Al Khalili bazaar, one of the oldest marketplaces in the world, a medieval labyrinth of shops, stalls and seriously hustling vendors. That was where we met (uh-huh) Obama’s cousin, Nefertiti’s grandson and Thutmosis’ great nephew. It was the week after the President’s highly regarded visit to Cairo, and I was the happy beneficiary of the enormous good will there toward America right now. I was called Brown Sugar and that other blast-from-the-past appellation from the 60’s, Soul Sister, more times than I can remember having heard it back in the day. Several vendors promised that while they did not know what I wanted, they had what I needed.  A couple of them were right, and I gladly parted with some Egyptian pounds for rare coral beads, a delicate silver, turquoise and lapis bracelet for my daughter, a fabulous black patent leather hand bag that I can hardly wait to rock this fall, and a terra cotta plate Arabic calligraphy painted in black ink, majestically testifying to the omnipresence of the Most High.  

At the conference, I met women from Cairo and from what they called the governates, provinces outside the city.  Some had travelled to the US and Europe, others had never left their country. Many of them spoke some English, although spontaneous translation was provided during the conference.  These entrepreneurs represented all manner of businesses -- selling local traditional arts and crafts, manufacturing farm equipment and fertilizer, publishing pregnancy, birth and childcare guides, running after school programs for at risk and underserved youth,  serving as business consultants,  and designing marketing and communications campaigns. Their revenues ranged from under $50,000 to close to $1million.  Some started their businesses themselves, others were running them with their husbands, and some were daughters taking over management of a family business.   They were enthusiastic about their work, eager to learn new techniques and explore different ideas that would help them grow their enterprises. And they were universally open and engaging with me. 

After hours on my last night, two of the women, Sahar and Hala, took me on a private tour of their favorite places in their hometown. Over some refreshing glasses of iced lemonade with fresh mint, plates of stuffed vine leaves, and a most delectable dish of chicken in walnut sauce over rice, in the back room of a dark and intimate restaurant filled with Egyptian antiques and flickering lights, the three of us traded stories of our children, marriages, and our deepest desires for self-expression and independence, accomplishment and community. We did as women do. We met and immediately bonded through the shared truths of our lives.


Isisara Bey (2^nd from left) with members of MENA, the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen’s Network, in Cairo

It was an honor to witness all my new Egyptian sisters at the conference willingly revealing their hopes and fears, their triumphs and setbacks, as they reaffirmed their commitment to themselves, their families, businesses, each other, and the betterment of their country.  
 
Isisara Bey