Shaimaa Monaiti

Shaimaa was introduced to Wataneya when she joined the Hamza program during her final year at the Faculty of Social Work. She first learned about the concept of alternative childcare during the program, which is meant to prepare fresh graduates for work orphanages and institutional homes, and developed a deep respect and appreciation for the profession. She found work at a foster home after her graduation, but faced her first hurdle when trying to have her job listed on her national ID card, after authorities told her that caregiver was not a registered profession in Egypt Her repeated lobbying attempts were met with refusal. Backed by Wataneya and supported by her employers, however, Shaimaa soldiered on long enough to achieve her goal. She successfully convinced authorities to officially recognize her line of work, making a case for the importance of the profession to the community at large. After becoming Egypts first registered caregiver and opening the door for her peers to follow, Shaimaa received a grant from Wataneya to pursue certification in alternative childcare from Pearson