Atef

#a_knowledge_seeker

"You're not alone in this world. There are so many who are people just like you"

Atef describes himself as a learner, always seeking knowledge that feeds his curiosity. He's a practical person who loves to remain grounded and make sense of things. His readings range from scientific essays to novels and short stories. He chose to study Business Administration as a broader field that could easily connect to other areas of work and life. He is also studying computer science online at the University of the People. Atef's idols are Ahmed El-Shoqery, Ahmed El-Ghandour (El-Da7ee7), and Dr.Mostafa Mahmoud; who all had a great impact on his approach in life and in becoming a critical thinker.

Atef describes his last year in preparatory school as life changing. That year he joined a top students’ class; he was being prepared to become one of the top students in the republic of Egypt. However, his priority remained to be genuine learning not high scores, he elaborates "I always had a vision, I love to learn, but I'm not a nerd." That same year, Atef joined a character-building program at school, he was elected as the class leader and his goal was for all his colleagues to achieve their utmost academic potential.

"The best thing ever was that I saw people telling their stories, no matter how painful or traumatic they were. We were keen on creating a safe space for everyone to feel comfortable, we were all the same, from the same background."

In 2021 Atef participated in Mobader (The Initiator) , one of Sanad’s programs on Community Leadership. His team's awareness campaign was on psychological and mental health; an aspect that is neglected in most orphanages, unlike materialistic tangible needs. Atef and his team built their campaign following the Wellness Wheel Model, about this activity he says "It was a great experience, we discussed topics like Identity and self-loyalty, and considering ourselves as a priority. Many of our brothers and sisters had problems revealing that they grew up in an orphanage."

The goals of the campaign were achieved, through requesting from the care homes of his team members to establish special services targeting psychological needs, and through signing contracts with therapists whom they can consult through the orphanage. Atef's final statement about Mobader was "Mobader shaped my character and way of thinking; it helped me translate my societal role in a realistic way. I learnt that I have to leave an impact, it developed my planning and organizational skills and the way I address people and tell my story."

Atef was a participant in Sanad's conference on Alternative care in 2019, which was the first conference in the Arab world to tackle aftercare challenges; as young people transition out of alternative care. It was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and sponsored by the Arab League. Through Sanad, he also took part in the ministry's meeting discussing the drafting of new laws supporting alternative care in Egypt.

"I didn't mingle a lot with other people, which made me feel as if I'm the only orphan in the world, I don’t know why! In Sanad I realized that there are a lot of people like me, and I realized that I never acknowledged the blessings I had. That was important for me, because at the time I was dissatisfied."

Speaking of his dreams and plans for the future, Atef likes to get involved in new experiences without overthinking them ahead. He doesn't believe in making big plans, but in short term goals. He believes that he's in a transitional phase, still working on himself . . . "I'm still on my own journey, discovering myself." Atef has a part time job, he believes that this job is saving him a ton of experience, he wants to work right after graduation and become a volunteer in Sanad. He believes in the importance of its existence as an entity investing in people and their talents . . . "Sanad provides knowledge and experience that helps us develop. We need someone who believes in us, who invests in our potential, it's a long journey where we learn, fall, and rise again."