Dr. Ghada Abdel Rahim, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Specific Education at Cairo University, did not know that her passion for education and scientific research would lead her to a greater passion – to support talented young people in her country, which annually loses billions of dollar due to the brain drain.

Her dream started with trying to bring together Egyptian scientists and innovators so they can share creative ideas and establish an innovative community in the society. With that, Dr. Rahim founded ‘Weladha Sanadha’ in early 2015, aiming to gather 100 young men and women to generate 100 creative ideas that benefited their communities.

To get started, Dr. Rahim looked for 100 young Egyptians from the thousands at her university. Today, the association helps more than 500 young Egyptians with more than 500 scientific projects dedicated to supporting the development process in Egypt. Dr. Rahim dreams of getting enough support to be able to finance thousands of small projects to support the development, economy and future of Egypt.

Dr. Rahim believes that the future of Egypt is in the hands of the youth, and therefore, it is essential to invest in their talents, and to motivate them to innovate in order to serve the development of the nation.

‘Weladha Sanadha’ is dedicated to supporting young talent, and to exposing young innovators to the international stage, so they may realise their dreams, and build their innovations, with financial support when necessary.

“All our initiatives, as a non-governmental organisation, seek to promote the culture of hope,” she said. “We seek to spread hope within various social groups, and to share the message that hope is what we need to achieve a better future.”

Dr. Rahim points out that spreading hope is necessary to individuals and communities, and that concerted efforts in this regard are essential. She insists that without dedication and commitment to the industry of hope, hope may fade, and desperation may become a more common way of living life.

‘Weladha Sanadha’ does not accept external funding, and relies on support from the Social Fund and Ministry of International Cooperation in Egypt, as well as some private companies that support specific projects. The association has ambassadors in many countries who contribute to share ideas on international forums.

Dr. Rahim has successfully supported many youth innovations that have won international awards, registered a large number of patents, and honoured innovators of all ages, the youngest of them a six-year-old, who invented a car that can detect explosives.

Dr. Rahim’s association has developed projects that motivate and inspire young people, transforming frustration into creativity and hope, and has engaged young women as key partners and as an essential part of creating a better tomorrow.