Nilfurat is a safe space of learning, expression, connection and making created for a group of Refugee and Egyptian women in Cairo, Egypt. A city that these women from Sudan, Ethiopia, Lower Egypt and Syria, all call home.

Bringing together their cultural diversity and stories, the concept was to go through the whole process of building connection, teaching craftsmanship, finding a direction and creating products that these women can feel empowered to be creating their own living.

The result was a community dedicated to making high-quality artisan products for children, with a name that combines the two rivers that come from all these women’s native lands.

The project started in partnership with the UNHCR and The German University in Cairo.

I was honored to be asked by professor Silvia Burger to a part of the design team from our university coming in to learn, guide and empower these women.

The first phase of the project consisted of a first group of women coming in to attend a sewing and product development workshop under the name of Nilfurat.

Broken down into Design, Sewing & Embroidery basics, the workshop went on for 3 months and was designed to reach the development of a first collection of products and prototypes coming from the product ideas that came from the women and topped off with patterns coming from the different cultures they came from.

To celebrate & close the first phase of the project, we hosted a closing exhibition at the Swiss Club in Cairo. Our team was responsible for the display of the first collection, from design to handmade assembly

After the project was approved, we came back with the women who were just as excited to start our second project together, one that was planned to be launched officially.

So we got to working.. We went into more workshops on more in depth design for the products and created a collection of kids products that stood out in the market.

The product I helped develop with the team was a collection of small bag toys that were inspired by fruits and that gave both aesthetic and functionality to the kids space.

We designed and selected everything from the shape, size, patterns. Each fruit had its own pattern either embroidered or printed on them.

To launch the brand we were in Egypts biggest craft shows. With a collection that really stood out, we had everything from huggies for children to a carpet game that can be played by kids and adults, and a personal favorite of mine were the small house ornament stuffies.

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