Central Digital Community Development Department

"Every training and every session added a new idea and a new skill to us"

Irene Farid Stephanos, Role Models 2023, Cairo Governorate, Heritage and More Project by Egyptian Hands
My project is specialized in fine hand embroidery on textiles, and it is a project that serves women in the downtown area in the neighborhoods of Daher, Faggala, Sharabia, Sakakini and the surrounding neighborhoods..
I started the project by training only five women, and then the groups that were trained followed with the aim of producing an Egyptian handmade product with distinctive features and technology and quality that bears the Made in Egypt logo, and supports our presence in the local and foreign market..
In the journey of searching for excellence in the local and foreign market, we were nominated by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency in August 2021 to join the Role Model Initiative. TECH affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and attended the first online training program in digital marketing, and in just two weeks I learned the most important information in the field of marketing and creating and directing pages on social media sites, with knowledge of how to implement advertising campaigns and sponsored ads, in addition to studying the focus on good content and attractive image..
This was the first time in my life that I dealt with social media and online training, and what encouraged us to continue was the initiative's interest in asking us about our needs for topics to train on in order to develop our projects, and here our suggestions were appreciated and implemented through the advisory sessions that the initiative provided to support us, so we benefited from legal consultations, pricing and packaging consultations, and consultations on establishing companies and projects. Each topic helped one step in developing our projects..
After that, I joined the second training program with Qudwa. I learned about the basics of e-commerce, and with it I started developing my ideas about digital marketing regarding how to make profits and export, which has become the language spoken by the whole world. After this training, I joined the e-commerce platform Ayady Misr to market my project’s products... In a later period, I joined the third training program on using artificial intelligence tools in project development, during which I was able to present my project’s products in a different way and new ideas for designs. I was able to use artificial intelligence to develop project advertisements and create more attractive ideas and embody them in distinctive designs. This represented a leap for my project by entering the world of artificial intelligence, which I did not imagine would happen through online training, which helped us tremendously.

My project with my sister is based on heritage costumes with handicraft using colors and drawings with an Egyptian identity and spirit and at the same time, in a modern way characterized by high value that shows the beauty of the Egyptian lady, so we called our project (Winji), which is a Nubian word that means (shining star). The biggest obstacles we faced during the establishment and implementation of our project was the lack of specialized training in entrepreneurship with related areas of project marketing, and we were looking for any opportunity to learn and gain experiences.
During our search journey, we found an ad on Facebook for the Qudwa Tech initiative to build the digital skills of craftswomen, and indeed I applied for training, obtained it, and benefited from it in knowing how to target specific groups of audiences and prepare an effective marketing plan for my project. I thought that the training ended with the end of the training days, but I found continuous follow-up, new training opportunities, consulting sessions to improve our projects’ strategies in the market and other topics of interest to us...

A while ago, the initiative announced the existence of advanced digital skills training using artificial intelligence tools, and I was excited again for the training, which changed not only my project but my entire life, through which I learned the wide possibilities of using artificial intelligence in improving my product image and modifying it, and how to create marketing and advertising content by transforming my ideas into translated images with an Egyptian spirit and identity.

This training had the greatest impact in encouraging me to register on the (Hands of Egypt) i.e. (Aadi Masr) platform to market my products, and at the same time I was able to design a group of costumes inspired by the ancient Egyptian civilization. Then when publishing these different designs, the number of followers on my pages almost doubled, and I received pre-orders for customers from countries outside Egypt.

I also designed using artificial intelligence and called it (Egypt 27 stamps), and its goal was to spread awareness of the Egyptian governorates and the most important landmarks that distinguish them.
After this experience, I am looking forward to sharing these experiences and trainings with others to benefit and help them learn how to combine technology and innovation in their projects. I have already shared my experiences with my small circle of acquaintances and friends, and I aspire to expand the circle of
benefit with more women, and take advantage of the opportunity of this different training, which is characterized by many opportunities for breadwinners and married women, the first of which is free, easy to obtain from home, flexibility in its dates and place, with the presence of continuous follow-up from those in charge of learning and application. In fact, I am immensely grateful for this training that changed the fate of my project to all that’s better.

Iman says "I got a Bachelor of Engineering, a Diploma in Network Marketing, and I believe that we must keep pace of all developments in the fields of technology continuously". "In 2011, I was traveling abroad as I started making jewelry by chance through YouTube videos, I researched the details of this craft and learned myself. I started producing simple materials on a small scale and selling to those around me and participating in bazaars, my products were characterized by rich Egyptian designs in their details. After I came to Egypt, I began to participate in major exhibitions and participated in (Turathuna) and was honored by the visit of Mr. President at the exhibition." "During the Turathuna exhibition, I got to know colleagues in the same field and learned about Qudwa Tech initiative and its trainings, and I actually joined it.
" Although I previously studied marketing, the training program with Qudwa was (detailed to us), meets our needs, as it is intensive, practical, and its applying on a daily basis and makes most advantage of social media tools." Qudwa Tech is considered a (turning point) in my project, so I understand what I need to develop the publication and reach the next step. My page has turned from just documenting and displaying products to selling, buying and marketing that has organized assets and steps, thanks to the continuous support of Qudwa Tech and the Ministry of Communications and Informations Technology, which represents a new beginning for me.

Qudwa Tech trainings allowed me to enhance the spread of my brand, define the persona for my clients, and of course the good phrasing of marketing content, the selection of target groups, regions, and timing of advertising.
Because of my good and complex relationships, I have been for my circle of acquaintances as a model and role model and I always like to transfer my experiences to them and share what I studied with them. Indeed, I implemented this with digital marketing training through a group called (Talents Mall), through which I promote participation in the initiative and its conditions and details. Also, how each woman can benefit herself and her community through the idea or project of distance training that eliminated distances and shortened time, as we were from all governorates in training and communicate constantly, in addition that it was very suitable for ladies and their circumstances. I felt with Qudwa Tech (that I have a back), support, guidance, reassurance and sound steps to expand my project.

I am Mona Mansour, a person of determination from Alexandria Governorate, the owner of a handmade accessories and gemstones project. Mona says:"Since I was 10 years old, I started learning the arts of embroidery and crochet, and I kept this hobby until I graduated and obtained a BA in History and Archaeology. I worked in the field of archaeology for a period after my graduation, but due to an accident that happened to me, I left it, and started my own project ten years ago, and I started participating in exhibitions held in my governorate, Alexandria, and from here people got to know me, and my project became distinctive, and at the beginning of my work I relied on direct exhibitions, although I had a page for sale on Facebook, but I did not care about it appropriately.

Mona continues:

I learned about the Qudwa.Tech initiative through a friend of mine, she nominated me for training, and I was chosen to join one of the training groups, and it was one of the most distinctive things I learned in my life, because of the huge amount of information I learned, and was affected by it in the training, and it affected my work in marketing, as I learned the meaning of content marketing, and how I target the right audience and direct my products to them, and I started developing my project's sales page, and I implement advertisements myself to promote through it.

During my joining the initiative, I got to know many distinguished personalities from my colleagues in the field of hand-made and design, and I attended many advisory sessions provided by the initiative to support women and entrepreneurs, in topics such as packaging, design and product photography.

Mona adds: Qudwa.Tech includes a distinguished number of strong trainers who provide high-value content, in addition to the fact that the trainees in it are of a high level and professional in their projects, and interacting with them helped me develop my work, and I learned more about the world of marketing through social media sites..

Mona Mansour confirms: I try to transfer my experience in training to my friends and acquaintances, and I encourage them to join to benefit from the initiative's training, because of the interest, encouragement and continuous follow-up I found from the initiative's management, which also prompted me to try to promote the initiative by happily writing about it in more than one electronic newspaper on the Internet.

Regarding the impact of the Corona pandemic period, Mona says: Certainly, the Corona pandemic had a negative impact on the buying and selling operations of small projects, especially during the first isolation period, but after receiving the training, there was a complete shift to selling and marketing via the Internet, which compensated for some of the losses that occurred during this period. Also, training and distance learning were a great opportunity for me as a person of determination and it is difficult for me to move to get training in different places, and Qudwa-Tech provided me with training while I was at home, and encouraged me more to undergo the online training experience in other topics and I am more confident in my abilities. Regarding her ambitions, Mona says: "I want more training on new topics to develop the capabilities of people of determination provided to us by Qudwa.Tech, as an integrated program in the basics of product design and cost accounting, to help us develop our skills in professional selling." Mona concludes her speech by saying: "I was chosen by the International Entrepreneurship Foundation and the Arts and Creativity City Forum as one of the 100 best figures in the Arab world for the year 2021, and I received a certificate of appreciation and a shield for that honor. I am also participating in the first exhibition of traditional and handicrafts in the Arts Complex in the New Administrative Capital, and I hope to always be an honorable face for a role model."

أنا إيمان لطيف من محافظة القليوبية، أعمل كمصممة للإكسسوارات اليدوية المصنوعة من النحاس، وأشتهر في مجتمع الفنون اليدوية باسم "عاشقة النحاس".. بدأت عملي في هذا المجال منذ سنوات طويلة، ولكن أثناء ذلك واجهت العديد من المعوقات في تحقيق النجاح لمشروعي الصغير أهمها كيفية التسويق بشكل سليم والوصول للعملاء المستهدفين المقدرين للحرفة اليدوية والجهد المبذول في مراحل صناعتها، فلم أكن أمتلك الخبرات الكافية في هذا المجال..

أثناء البحث ومحاولات التطوير تعرفت على مبادرة (قدوة- تك) لتمكين المرأة والتي أطلقتها وزارة الاتصالات وتكنولوجيا المعلومات، عن طريق إعلان على صفحات الفيسبوك لكل الحرفيات في للانضمام للمبادرة، كما وجدت العديد من زميلاتي يتحدثن عن مدى استفادتهن من البرامج التدريبية في هذه المبادرة.. وبالفعل تقدمت وتم اختياري وبدأت رحلة جديدة في مراحل تطوير مشروعي..

وبالفعل استفدت بشكل كبير من البرنامج التدريبي للتسويق الإلكتروني، وأتقنت مهارات التسويق على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي المختلفة فلم يعد الأمر يقتصر على فيسبوك فقط ولكننا تعرفنا على كيفية التسويق على كافة منصات التواصل الاجتماعي (واتس آب بيزنس، ويوتيوب، وانستجرام، وسناب شات، وتيك توك)، كذلك تعرفت على أحدث وسائل التغليف والشحن وطرق تنفيذ الإعلانات والنشر التسويقي وغيرها مما يتصل بتسويق وبيع المنتجات اليدوية بشكل احترافي..

كما أن الجلسات الاستشارية التي تقدمها المبادرة مع الخبراء في مجالات التكنولوجيا والصناعات اليدوية والتصوير والعلامات التجارية ساعدتنا على تطوير أساليب التفكير وخاصة مع اتساع نطاق تجاربنا وتبادل الخبرات مع الزملاء، ولم يقتصر الأمر على ذلك ولكني تشجعت لنقل ما تعلمته من البرامج التدريبية بالمبادرة لزميلاتي في مجال الحرف اليدوية، فهي تعد فرصة كبيرة يجب استغلالها لاستكمال مسيرة النجاح وفتح مجالات أوسع لاستيعاب وإفادة أعداد أكبر من السيدات الحرفيات.

قدوة تك مثلت تجربة رائعة بالنسبة لي، فهي استطاعت تقنعني بالتعليم والتدريب عن بعد، من أي مكان وبمرونة في توقيت تنفيذ التدريبات دون تكاليف ولا جهد ولا انتقالات..

كذلك فقد أتاح لي التسويق الرقمي التواصل الدائم مع العملاء، بما يعوضني عن الاشتراك في المعارض الترويجية ذات التكلفة العالية..

وفي المرحلة القادمة أسعى للحصول على البرنامج التدريبي الخاص بالذكاء الاصطناعي واستخدامه في التسويق والتصميم، لإيماني أن الذكاء الاصطناعي يمثل مستقبل التطوير كافة الصناعات والحرف، فأنا أحلم بالوصول إلى تحقيق علامة تجارية خاصة بي أصل بها للسوق العالمي في عالم الحرف اليدوية...

“The Qudwa Tech Initiative is a bright spot in the world of digital marketing for handicrafts and heritage”- Intisar Salah, trainer and founder of the "Qoumi Ya Masr" campaign to encourage handicrafts owners and preserve heritage industries.
Intisar initially worked as a teacher, but family responsibilities and marriage changed her orientation. She began her project related to heritage industries through a Facebook campaign titled "Qoumi Ya Masr." The campaign aimed to draw attention to handicrafts and encourage creative people in the field to advance them as the core of the national economy. From there, the Qoumi Ya Masr Association was established, bringing together many handicrafts owners, especially women. Several exhibitions, training workshops, and production workshops for leather, pottery, copper, and other items were organized.
Intisar says: "Over the years I've worked as a trainer supporting handicrafts owners, and from my experience with this field, I've experienced the challenges and problems they face, especially when marketing their products. This is the most difficult stage. The handicrafts owner puts in a lot of effort and time to produce a distinctive piece of art, and struggles to find the segments of customers who appreciate and value this beauty." Effort).
Intisar continues: "I've always had a desire to explore, innovate, and keep up with different marketing methods to overcome these problems. In addition, I love to benefit from my work. For these personal, professional, and societal reasons, I found in the Qudwa-Tech initiative several opportunities to achieve positive development in my work and leave a positive impact among the heritage makers who are members of the association."
Intisar adds: "I enrolled in the digital marketing training program using social media platforms offered to us by the Qudwa-Tech initiative. It truly helped me achieve one of the association's goals: finding a customer who appreciates traditional crafts and appreciates their value, thus revitalizing the handicrafts market." Joining the Qudwa Tech initiative represented a unique beginning for women craftswomen in the world of online digital marketing. Intisar says: "This training program, offered by the Qudwa Tech initiative, was unique in that it combined multiple methods for mastering craftsmanship. It provided us with a theoretical understanding of the scientific and academic foundations of the marketing process, the types of target audiences, and the impact of expanding the local market for handicraft products. The training also allowed us to develop our skills and capabilities by learning about the modern technologies that influence digital marketing and the world of social media. It also gave us the opportunity to practice marketing through our own project pages. This was followed by evaluation and clarification of the strengths and weaknesses in applying what we had learned through a variety of guidance lectures from the initiative. These lectures included providing support and advice for managing marketing pages on social media platforms in a professional manner, which made the training process comprehensive and enjoyable." Intisar points out that there is a constant need to support and encourage female craftspeople, a goal the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is committed to through its distinguished initiatives targeting everyone, especially this specialized initiative for women (Qudwa-Tech), which has achieved the principle of equality and equal opportunity, especially since women represent a large segment of those working in the handicrafts sector.
Intisar adds: "After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and during this difficult period, we witnessed the initiative's interest, support, and rapid response from the initiative from the first day of the pandemic outbreak. Training was shifted to online and distance learning, which contributed to maintaining our safety and enabled us to meet our needs related to a strong presence in the labor market through the internet, especially in these difficult circumstances. This represented a significant assistance to us in accelerating our recovery from the effects of the pandemic."
Intisar did not stop there; Rather, she began to shift toward her role as an effective role model for others by sharing her experience with all its aspects and influences with female entrepreneurs, including handicraft owners and those who follow her through her organization. She presented educational videos based on the content she gained during the training, which addressed how to leverage skills in handicrafts, develop customer service methods, and leverage the potential of social media platforms as a marketing tool, all for a fresh start in the world of online buying and selling. Entesar affirms that Qudwa Tech provided them with all forms of technical and technological support and guided many of them to explore the added value of their handicrafts to improve performance and attract more opportunities, which ultimately positively impact sales for these projects and raise income levels.

Now I have master digital marketing tools and how to use them professionally to increase the number of followers and members on social media pages."... Hala Hafez, from Alexandria, is one of the Role Models of 2020.Hala works as a handicrafts trainer and has an educational YouTube channel where she shares her expertise in the field of handicrafts with her followers. She has been a professional in this field since a young age.
Hala started her project many years ago, focusing on filming educational videos for training on teaching and producing handicrafts. She created a Facebook group with the same goal. The participation in her group has increased over time, and she has gained a presence in the world of handicrafts training.
Hala says: "I learned about the Qudwa-Tech initiative through a friend, who motivated me to participate after being encouraged by the training content offered, which met my needs for professional digital marketing and social media management based on scientific principles. I found the broad outlines for building marketing content within the course."
Hala continues: "I joined the Qudwa-Tech training program, and I truly had no idea of the vast amount of information and the breadth of training available. This training is characterized by its use of technology to serve the field of marketing and entrepreneurial ideas. This completely changed my approach to managing my social media accounts in minute detail. The most important aspect I learned was managing sponsored ads, which greatly contributes to the success of promotional posts according to scientific principles and rules."
Regarding the period during which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the manual labor market, Hala sees a positive aspect despite the decline in sales volume, saying: "The COVID-19 period affected everyone's purchasing power, but it benefited us by allowing us time to change our sales policy and adjust our priorities according to people's needs and market demands for products." Because Hala lives in Alexandria and works as a trainer, online training was her first choice, allowing her to reach the largest possible number of followers across all governorates of Egypt.
Hala adds, "Because the Qudwa-Tech initiative has motivated and encouraged us to play a greater role in our community, I've been sharing the information I learned during the training program on digital marketing methods with my followers through a weekly, hour-long live video on my educational channel and Facebook group. I discuss everything related to marketing, entrepreneurship, and handcrafts, and guide them to exhibitions they can participate in."
Hala hopes to achieve greater returns and profits from her efforts after developing her social media accounts and leveraging their capabilities. She, in turn, nominates many female craftswomen to join the Qudwa-Tech initiative and learn the basics of digital marketing according to scientific principles and in a manner that keeps pace with technological developments.

(Not long ago, we couldn't have imagined that women from Upper Egypt and border governorates could manage their small businesses using technology from home and only their mobile phones.) Yousra Hussein, a ceramic clay handicraft designer, is one of the 2020 role models.In addition to her work as a social researcher, she has a passion for handicrafts. From there, Yousra decided to combine her professional and personal interests, interacting with the community and communicating her ideas about handicrafts and industry in a simplified manner. She has taken many steps in this field, receiving various trainings, but she still lacks the organization of ideas for marketing her handicraft products and linking them to people's needs. Yousra found the solution in the training program offered by the Qudwa Tech initiative on digital marketing using social media. Regarding this, Yousra says: "I am proud to have been part of the first Qudwa Tech training class, which provided me with a distinct advantage over other training programs. It taught me the basics and details of marketing scientifically, and how to choose a brand or trademark, all in an organized and sequential manner. This helped me restructure and organize my project's page and maintain its identity. I focused on the quality of the content and aesthetics of the images to reach a greater number of customers. The number of members jumped from 8,000 to more than 12,000 in just a few months."
Yousra adds: "For me, the Qudwa Tech logo was carefully and skillfully chosen, and it means a lot to me, because it is important for us as women to feel like we are role models for those around us, and this gives us a sense of responsibility toward society." Following the training, Yousra's approach shifted toward integrating study, work, and hobbies. She collaborated with women in the handicrafts field to launch the "Masryat" brand. Their focus was on balancing their social lives and establishing a small handicrafts project that would increase their income. Regarding "Masryat," Yousra says: "We work to develop women's skills in general, and to connect handicrafts between women working in handicrafts and sales and marketing outlets. We also provide them with information about scholarships and training opportunities that enhance their capabilities, most notably the Qudwa Tech initiative, to which I was able to nominate more than 12 female craftspeople in various batches." Yousra emphasizes that the concept of distance learning and online work provides the opportunity to connect with a broad range of clients in various fields. It is also a method that is more rapidly spreading through various technological applications. She says: "Women always have numerous commitments and responsibilities towards their families, homes, and work. Through online distance learning, this allows them to be with their children and at home, to take care of their responsibilities, and provides them with various types of training tailored to their needs."
Yousra adds: "The Qudwa Tech initiative continues to follow up with us in various ways by providing various workshops for guidance, counseling, and networking with information about relevant exhibitions and conferences. This further motivates us to continue and develop our work and creates a greater sense of belonging to the initiative and the concept of Qudwa." Regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small craft projects, Yousra explains: "Despite the recession that affected everyone due to the increased supply and decreased demand in the market, we had a greater ability to overcome the crisis thanks to the workshops provided by the initiative to work online and identify the strengths and added value that our products can offer." Yousra believes that the current digital transformation in all aspects of life has enabled women, in particular, to manage their small craft projects from their smartphones in their homes. They advertise their products, build their capabilities through training, and receive their profits via online bank account transfers. They also connect with fellow craftswomen from across Egypt, which opens up greater marketing opportunities. This creates a rapid social movement toward technology and the development of the national crafts sector.

Shaimaa Hussein Al-Ghaish, from Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, is an entrepreneur and owner of a rooftop and balconies gardening project. Her idea began with her work as a researcher at the Agricultural Research Center, where she was investigating the most common problems related to her field and working to find solutions. From there, she came up with the idea of transforming rooftops from a place of junk and waste into a place for flowers and plants with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This project also serves as a means of combating global warming, lowering temperatures, and producing healthy, pesticide-free organic food.
Shaimaa says, "My project addresses the environment and is based on planting roofs and balconies to benefit from them. I had a goal to achieve: to bring my idea to the public more quickly and spread it scientifically through carefully considered steps." She adds, "When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I received training with the Qudwa-Tech initiative. During this period, I began to utilize all available time to apply what I had learned. My project's Facebook marketing page had approximately 40,000 followers, which I had gained over three years. However, with practical application, in just six months, the page doubled its number of followers, reaching more than 80,000. I achieved faster growth and was able to attract numerous media outlets who contacted me to present and promote my idea. I also focused on Instagram and was able to reach a diverse range of customers on it in a short period of time, achieving wider reach."
Al-Shaima continues, "After receiving Qudwa-Tech's digital marketing training, I used digital media to promote my idea and project. I recorded video clips of the project and its steps to explain its concept, reach more customers, and encourage people to work on similar ideas."
Al-Shaima concludes, "These trainings with Qudwa-Tech have created what I can call bright spots and ideas that illuminate my path in developing my field of work."

Qudwa.Tech created an opportunity for us to market, take advantage of our time, and turn the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic in a positive direction for us.
Aya Abdel Hamid, from Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, designer of handicrafts and crochet items.
Aya started her project because she loves handicrafts and is skilled at making them. She marketed her products through friends, relatives, and acquaintances, then created a page for her project to sell on Facebook.
Aya says:
(I was running my project in a completely haphazard manner. I didn't know how to highlight the specifications of my products, nor the quantities required according to the logic of supply and demand and customer needs in the market. However, I found guidance and direction for this when I joined Qudwa.Tech training in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate.) After completing the training program, Aya found herself making steady progress on the right path to effective marketing and competing in the online retail market. Aya adds: "I was fortunate to be part of the first graduating class of "Qudwa-Tech" female entrepreneurs in Kafr El-Sheikh, and I benefited from the training in a variety of ways. My page gained more members and followers after I developed my marketing methods, product presentations, and photography to capture the attention of my target customers."
Regarding the positive impact of the "Qudwa-Tech" initiative, Aya says: "Qudwa-Tech represents a new beginning for me in marketing. I now have my own style for advertising and explaining the features and characteristics of the products I manufacture. I also succeeded in developing a comprehensive online marketing campaign." On the other hand, Aya is not satisfied with what she has achieved. She is playing a more important role: continuous learning, offering advice and guidance, and helping her colleagues who may be complaining about the lack of customer engagement on their project pages. She shares her experiences, which she learned from the initiative's training program, with them. She considers herself an ambassador for communicating "Qudwa-Tech's" ideas within her surrounding community.

“A good friend at work and educating a child is better than any profit”, Iman Mustafa Shehata, Kafr El Sheikh, owner of a digital literacy project. Iman's story begins when she moved and settled into work in a village in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate. As an information systems and management specialist, she noticed that children lacked basic knowledge of information technology and the digital world. From there, she came up with the idea of working to eradicate digital literacy among children and adolescents, leveraging their knowledge of the basics of mobile phone use and social media to learn programming languages and technology principles in a simplified manner as an essential part of a modern lifestyle.
Iman says:
(I began targeting children aged 4, and my idea was new for a simple rural village, especially since I used various and innovative educational methods such as brainstorming strategies, mind maps, and group workshops.)
Iman adds: "I learned about the Qudwa Tech initiative's training in social media marketing. I began attending the training program and saw a different approach to project management, introducing technology and digital marketing. Through them, I learned how to link online accounts together, analyze the market, and prepare a business plan for my project. I also learned how to manage and evaluate advertisements in terms of their usefulness. I also learned the most important strengths through which I could attract new clients to my initiative." Regarding the skills she acquired that helped her develop her performance and transfer her expertise to those around her, Iman says: "Through the training group, I discovered new experiences and how I could preserve and develop my idea, and pass on what I learned to my fellow entrepreneurs working in the handicrafts sector, attracting them to online sales, and helping them become good marketers for their projects, strengthening their presence in the market, and competing properly based on scientific principles. Consequently, many of them were encouraged to participate in the trainings and seminars organized by Qudwa-Tech."
Contrary to expectations, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic was a great opportunity for Iman to develop the form and presentation of her project. She says: "The COVID-19 pandemic period was a very good time for me because I quickly shifted to providing my digital literacy training through online learning applications. This helped me expand my geographic scope from the small village to other areas that needed this training. At the same time, I began studying new subjects online to develop my skills and improve myself. I studied electronic montage." To provide engaging content for children and mothers, I learned new ideas that would distinguish my project. I also developed educational videos to guide students on how to access educational platforms step-by-step, which received significant support and positive feedback from my page followers.

Regarding the impact of the "Qudwa-Tech" initiative on changing her way of thinking and managing her project, Iman says:
"I am proud to be a part and active member of the "Qudwa-Tech" initiative, sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. This initiative spares no effort to support and empower women, especially in rural areas. It has enabled many women to transition to working from home and to be creative and productive, building on the learning and experience they have gained

Abeer Essam, Cairo Governorate, Brand (Jana Style),Abeer says: I'm an engineering graduate, electrical engineering department, and my project is crochet products for children and decorations. At first, I was far from loving handicrafts. After my marriage and pregnancy, due to health conditions, I had to stay at home. Since my mother was talented in knitting and crochet, she tried to encourage me, and I actually started learning to make the most of my time. I learned basic stitches, and by the end of my pregnancy, I had made a crochet blanket for my newborn.
After that, relatives and friends started asking me for some products, so I started trying to develop my project. I learned to read different patterns in foreign languages and watched videos. I was able to discover new models, which helped me distinguish my work. This enabled me to export some simple orders abroad through some acquaintances.
Due to family circumstances, I stopped working from 2014 to 2019. When I decided to return to work, the market had changed, and my name wasn't well-known in it. I tried to compete, but the COVID-19 pandemic came, and I stopped again. That's when I found my calling in the Qudwa Tech initiative, which began its online training during the COVID-19 crisis. Through them, I received digital marketing training and learned how to develop my product images and adjust their lighting to demonstrate their quality. I also learned how to produce a distinctive logo for my project and how to place it on my product images. I also benefited in the field of packaging and learned how to keep up with global trends in this field. This is in addition to what the initiative provided us in marketing areas with Amazon and others, as well as financial consulting, especially regarding taxes and international shipping to European countries.
**Qudwa Tech (provided me with the opportunity to interact with colleagues and entrepreneurs and exchange experiences). I learned from their opinions how to maintain the quality and standard of what I offer. The trainers provided me with a wealth of information and continuous support, especially in encouraging us to participate in major exhibitions and teach others as well.
**Qudwa Tech was a "qualitative shift" for me. The initiative's training differed from other trainings due to the recorded lectures I received, in that (Qudwa Tech's live, interactive training sessions keep up with the latest developments in entrepreneurship and digital marketing.) They are aligned with social media updates on Facebook and Instagram. The trainer explained, implemented, and answered questions and inquiries (in real-time), a way that made a huge difference for me.

**The initiative had a significant impact on me in changing my way of thinking, and I began sharing my knowledge with others through a private YouTube channel. I present new design ideas not available in the local market, and I also offer advice on time management and organizing my workspace.
**After the remote Qudwa Tech training, I began receiving several online training courses to develop my project. I began private training with trainers from Australia, with the aim of developing my project to suit the European market. I am now working on the procedures for obtaining a tax card in Egypt, as I dream of launching exports to various countries around the world.

Walaa Wagdy, from Qalyubia Governorate, owner of the Maharah Foundation for Handicrafts Training, says: "I developed a hobby of handicrafts from a young age. I was fascinated by the principles of sewing and embroidery, and I learned to read and implement patterns. I decided to pursue a career in fashion design. However, due to my high school grades, I enrolled in the College of Physical Therapy. However, my passion prevailed, and I transferred to the College of Home Economics, Department of Clothing and Textiles, to fulfill my dream of tailoring. I worked in the field, but due to marriage and travel, I stopped. During this time, I worked as an administrator at an academy.
In 2017, I returned to my passion for handicrafts and launched the Maharah Foundation, which aims to train in handicrafts and improve products to achieve a level of quality and modernity that is in line with current developments in decoration and materials.
I adopted the idea of constantly developing the craft in different forms and uses of materials, as well as in finishing and finishing.
I learned about the Qudwa Tech initiative through a friend who benefited from the initiative's training, and I did. I joined the first group to be implemented online at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the market was strongly leaning toward social media marketing, and we didn't know how to start. But Qudwa Tech put us on the right path. We learned how to target customers, create marketing content, and categorize and follow up with customers, which helped us maximize this phase. Qudwa Tech has a great role to play in providing me with the opportunity to start afresh in the world of online buying and selling, and to develop my marketing approach. I learned the basics of writing promotional content, creating meaningful content, and developing time-bound action plans for my project, in addition to calculating costs, pricing, and packaging. (A big thank you for every opportunity you gave us.)

Dalia Taha from Suez Governorate, a recycling and handicrafts project. Dalia says, "Since I was a child, I loved handicrafts and helped my father in his carpentry workshop. I had a great passion for handicrafts, flower arrangement, and palm frond recycling."
"After completing my studies, I continued to learn. I began recycling some accessories and innovating what I made. I found my handicrafts popular with friends and acquaintances, and I participated in some exhibitions. However, my biggest problem was estimating the cost and pricing of the product. As a result, I lost a lot and stopped for a while."
" In 2016, I began working from home again. During this time, I was able to produce my first collection of denim-inlaid jewelry, which achieved great success. I also participated in a large number of exhibitions, bazaars, and production workshops, especially in various museums in Cairo and Suez.
**Developing my business was a necessary step. I had previously attended a business management training course in Suez sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. When I learned that Qudwa Tech was affiliated with the ministry, I was greatly encouraged by the credibility of the ministry's training. I joined the second online training course during the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly benefited me. It saved me from having to move, kept me from leaving my children behind, and took into account my circumstances as a woman.
**I benefited greatly from the training, and my project expanded thanks to the development of social media pages and marketing through them. I opened new social media channels. More Qudwa Tech training courses followed, which provided me with the necessary tools to fulfill my project's needs, including photography, packaging, shipping, and pricing.
**I am currently sharing my experiences with women through a regular article about my experiences. Life, and I started promoting training and spreading the idea of the initiative to encourage women. In addition, I search for owners of traditional crafts in the various governorates, highlighting their work and shedding light on them as successful models.

Zainab Al-Abbadi from North Sinai Governorate, owner of the Hosna project, says: "I am Zainab Mohamed Al-Abbadi from Sheikh Zuweid, North Sinai. My project involves producing Sinai kilims, I inherited this profession from my mother, and I named my project (Hosna Project) after her, in honor of her and her role in educating me.
I wanted to develop this traditional craft as it expresses our unique identity, but marketing remained an obstacle. There was no opportunity for marketing except within our local community within the city, and the craft was on the verge of extinction. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, and marketing and production came to a complete standstill. It was an unusual period of stagnation.
At the same time, I learned about the Qudwa-Tech initiative from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. It had been my lifelong dream to be able to market Sinai kilims outside my small city. I found that the initiative was fulfilling my dream through training in marketing through social media. This was the most appropriate choice during the COVID-19 period, as the training was conducted online, step by step, and the trainers followed up with us on the practical application first. First...
In a short period of time, I was able to implement professional marketing pages for the project on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. I received my first order, and offers followed, and I signed contracts with numerous clients from various Arab countries, including the UAE, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others. In addition, I will be training in the production and execution of Sinai kilims in Saudi Arabia, with new designs suitable for modern homes.
I have benefited greatly in terms of profits. My earnings during these months are equivalent to those I have achieved over the past four years of the project's life. I want to send a message that Bedouin women can work, produce, and develop themselves. "My experience at Qudwa-Tech has created a unique name for me in the market

Hajar Saleh, Beni Suef Governorate, Handmade Accessories Project: Hajar says, "My name is Hajar Saleh Abdel Salam from Beni Suef Governorate. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Business Administration. I started my project as a hobby in 2010. I began making some personal accessories using simple materials available at home, and then redesigning them in new ways. My ideas were met with encouragement and admiration from those around me, as the designs were different, new, and distinctive. This encouraged me to continue. I began purchasing materials specifically for making accessories to create more designs, and I began promoting my small project through my friends and acquaintances on a page I created on Facebook."
Hajar continues, "After that, I learned crochet through YouTube. I kept experimenting and failing until I was able to produce good work. After that, I started to have a YouTube channel where I provide educational lessons on crochet and accessories for people to benefit from." Regarding the Qudwa-Tech initiative:
"I learned about the Qudwa-Tech initiative through a friend in the field, through a post about the initiative's training program. I was nominated and joined one of its training groups. After the course, my view of my project changed. I had treated it as a hobby, focusing on production, sales, and managing the marketing of the project itself online."
Hajar says about how much she benefited from the training program:
"At the beginning of my work on the Facebook page, the response from clients was very limited, almost non-existent. However, after joining the training, I learned that a social media page is more important for online interaction than a personal account. Marketing through it is better, and it allows me to run sponsored ads and have a recognized personality and presence outside of my personal page. I created YouTube and Instagram channels where I display samples of my products and tutorials for the designs I create."
Hajar hopes to receive more training programs through the initiative and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, because the training provides us with excellent information from professional trainers.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on sales and purchases, Hajar says:
"The COVID-19 pandemic period represented a setback for all areas of work because physical exhibitions and gatherings stopped, and the focus shifted entirely toward online sales and marketing. While COVID-19 impacted the physical market, it also opened up more opportunities for online trading, whether in sales, design, or training. It also gave us a greater opportunity to showcase our products."
Hajar adds: "In addition to the major advantage of online training and distance learning, I am at home, surrounded by my family, and I don't have to go out and travel to different governorates to receive training and be away from home for long periods. The opportunity to learn remotely through a comprehensive training program is equivalent to my actual presence among this community, with all of this experience, which made it easier for me to access information in a manner that is sufficient and appropriate to my circumstances as a woman."

Randa Seif, New Valley Governorate, Natural Soap Products Project, Randa says: "I called my project the brand (Nature Corner), which is about recycling palm waste to manufacture environmentally friendly products. I had a passion and love for the pure nature in my governorate, and at the same time I wanted to invest in making a natural product for the skin without chemicals.

In 2018, I started self-study and learning via the Internet, and because the field is limited, of course I resorted to sources, most of which were in foreign languages, and I faced difficulty in understanding some of the unfamiliar terms, but with experience, failure and success, until I reached mastery of a natural soap product.

I then moved to a second stage, which is thinking about having a craft from this product and a source of income for me. From here, I conducted experiments on the validity of the product in the Chemistry Department to ensure its quality and compliance with European specifications, and the idea of a natural soap project began, so I headed to some courses in the field of beauty, **A group of questions ran through my head about how to market my product, how to set the appropriate price for it, who is the audience that will buy my product, and how to reach them Who knows me?**
**The (Qudwa-Tech) initiative appeared as a lifeline for me, as it helped me transform the idea into a project, I learned how to market it, and I learned how to highlight its features, and present them to the client, and how to create marketing pages on social media sites.
**Qudwa Tech is not just an ordinary training, Qudwa Tech is distinguished by the trainers' interest in the trainees, and their interest in completely conveying the real information, in all the fields that we studied with them, whether digital marketing, e-commerce, or computer basics and financial management.. We also found continuous motivation from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the initiative's management to complete and continue learning to develop our practical life..
From 2020 to 2022, I attended more than one training in other initiatives, but I did not find the same continuous interest in the succession of sessions and consultations from Qudwa Tech.
Qudwa Tech (characterized by logical sequence in training), after each stage, they provide us with what we need in the next stage, and the initiative is ready with us with the next training, and they also surprise us with distinguished training sessions with major entities such as the Egyptian Post and Amazon Foundation, which helps us to continuously develop and keep up with all developments in marketing..
Qudwa Tech had an impact on the personal side by developing my mind to be more expansive and achieve benefit at the community level, as I was proud to launch the first initiative (to teach village girls the craft of weaving palm fronds), which is a craft that was close to extinction, because it is based on the women and grandmothers of the village, so my initiative was to preserve the traditional craft, and for there to be an income for women and girls (economic empowerment for women) and at the same time we produce handicraft products in a new way that is in line with contemporary taste..
Qudwa Tech helped us provide and create new opportunities for each other, through cooperation between colleagues in the field of handicrafts and entrepreneurship, as we were exchanging experiences, and developing our projects by integrating different industries, and introducing them into unconventional products such as inlaid palm fronds Crochet...and so on.

Mariam Darwish, Port Said Governorate, specializes in the art of dough and polymer clay. Mariam says, "I have been working in the art of making beads and accessories since 2005. In 2021, I discovered the art of dough through online research, and I found great creativity in it. I took courses in it until I mastered it, and I started my own project ten years ago, selling online.
I learned about the Qudwa.Tech initiative through my friend, Yusra Hussein, one of the 2020 Qudwa. She nominated me, and I participated in the training sessions. I attended all the sessions offered, and benefited greatly from them. I learned the correct ways to deal with customers, sales methods, and increased promotion on my marketing pages.
**Qudwa.Tech gave me self-confidence and the ability to turn adversity into a blessing. I took advantage of the fact that the entire world is constantly on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I learned to target customers according to age groups, which increased sales and purchases, promoted my project, and increased my number of followers."
**Qudwa.Tech (It created a real opportunity for female entrepreneurs to learn remotely without having to move from one place to another), and selected for us the best programs used to market products online with the help of professional trainers and continuous practical application based on scientific steps.
**The training provided by Qudwa Tech outlined (broad red lines for the determinants of good digital marketing) that we were unaware of, such as creating an ongoing connection with the customer to build a more trusting relationship between the seller and the customer.
**Qudwa Tech provided people with disabilities with the training program on-site without the need for transportation, expenses, or assistance from anyone. People with disabilities are talented in all areas of handcrafts. This is a fact from my experience as a rheumatoid arthritis patient for 13 years (an autoimmune disease). However, it did not defeat me, and I had the courage and ambition to overcome it. Qudwa Tech's training gave me that, lifting me from a frustrated state to a very happy psychological state. I worked harder after these trainings, as they (charted my path and illuminated it without fatigue).

Omnia Esmat from Beni Suef, holds a Bachelor's degree in Education, Geography Department, and is working on a tailoring project.
Omnia Esmat says, "I was always searching in my city for the style of clothing that suited me, but I wasn't satisfied with the designs available in stores. My desire developed and became a dream five years ago, to have my own brand and label in clothing design. From there, I pursued this dream. I traveled to Cairo to take a training course in fashion tailoring, and I did achieve that. I returned to my hometown in Beni Suef and began implementing what I had learned on a small scale with a dress brand that I called Miss Manon."
Omnia continues: "My project began to expand, and I began teaching women's tailoring four years ago. My goal was to share my expertise and teach all the women of Beni Suef the art of tailoring, as I learned it professionally, and to produce dresses, blouses, abayas, and pants in a way that suits our community. Indeed, a large number of women and girls learned from me, and they started their own tailoring projects."
Regarding the digital marketing training program, Omnia says: "Despite my success in my own project, I was greatly encouraged when I learned about the Qudwa-Tech initiative through social media pages and that it offers a digital marketing training program. Desiring to increase my client base and achieve greater exposure, I filled out the application form and was accepted. During the course, I learned about the advantages of digital marketing through social media. I was able to create specialized channels on YouTube and TikTok and a page on Instagram. I was also encouraged to publish educational videos daily, which increased engagement on my page, increased the number of clients for my project, and increased my confidence in myself and my production." I connected with clients from outside Egypt, from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and taught them all the basics of tailoring online. Learning online helped me spread my expertise more widely through the virtual community on social media. It also provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas, and provided women with greater convenience in learning from home without commuting or any costs.

لمياء مختار، محافظة بني سويف، مشروع جاليري فنون هاند ميد.. تقول لمياء: " مشروعي عبارة عن براند فنون يدوية أطلقت عليه اسم (ليما) ، أقوم بتصنيع الصلصال والريزن والإكسسوارات، وبدأت فيه منذ حوالي 4 سنوات. كنت في البداية أجرب ما أنتجه في المنزل، وبعدها بدأت خطوات نحو التطوير إلى أن وصلت لافتتاح الجاليري".

وعن تأثير التدريب في مجال التسويق الرقمي على واقع عملها، تقول لمياء:

"بالرغم من أن مشروعي كان يكبر ويتسع إلا أنني كان لدي طموح بأن أعمل وفق خطوات علمية مدروسة بشكل واضح، ورغبة في تطبيق نظريات الإدارة والتسويق أكثر في مجال البيع أونلاين،

ومن هنا تعرفت على مبادة قدوة تك بوزارة الاتصالات وتكنولوحيا المعلومات والتي وفرت لي برنامج مجاني للتسويق الرقمي، وتشجعت للانضمام للتدريب، وخصصت جزء في المعرض الخاص بي لبيع الخامات ومستلزمات التصنيع لكل ما أقوم بإنتاجه، لمن يريد بدء مشروعه الخاص في نفس المجال، وبدأت أنشر مقاطع فيديو تعليمية على قناتي على يوتيوب، وأفيد السيدات بأفكار وتصميمات جديدة، وزاد لدي عدد المتفاعلين، إضافة إلى أن التدريب سهل كثير من الخطوات في عملي وحياتي فقد وفر لي التوعية بوجود مواقع الكترونية للتصميمات بشكل جاهز ومجاني مما أفادني في مجال العمل، ووفر مجهود البحث والتكاليف والوقت المهدرين في ذلك".

Qodwa .Tech

Pillars : Digital Women Empowering

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