Tahani Mokhtar
Social work pioneer
Tahani Mokhtar is an Egyptian woman pioneer of social work. She was a member of the Red Crescent, the Social Association for Productive Families, the League for Social Reform, and Save the Children Organization. She also took part in the social aid activities during the Tripartite Aggression in 1956, the Naksa defeat in 1967, and the October War in 1973.
Tahani was born in England where her Egyptian father met her British mother while they were both studying at the university. The father received his bachelor’s degree then his PhD, before returning to Egypt with his family, when Tahani was four years old. Six months after their arrival to Cairo, Tahani’s mother died, and was buried in Egypt. Towards the end of his life, Tahani’s father worked as an economic advisor to the state in Qatar, where he passed away. Tahani, her sister, and her two brothers grew up in a family for which girls’ education was not only common, but also essential. She talked with great passion about girls’ education, and about the intellectual and cultural development that girls experienced through their education. She recalled that her family did not see any conflict between preserving traditions and providing education for girls.
Tahani attended al-Abbasiya Secondary School, and got married before receiving her high-school diploma. She married Omar al-Ghamarawi who was an engineer at the Arab Organization for Industrialization, and who was among the first batch to be recruited into the armed forces as a military engineer, that is, a conscripted soldier, and not an army officer. Tahani attended the English Department at the American University, but did not enjoy studying there, so she transferred to the British Institute, where she obtained her diploma. She rejoined the American University to take French lessons when she was preparing to travel to France.
At the beginning of her marriage, Tahani devoted herself entirely to her family, but with the eruption of the 1956 War, she felt a strong desire to do something to serve the country. With friends and family members, she collected and sent donations to support the Red Crescent during the Tripartite Aggression. Tahani recalled June 5, 1967, with great sorrow and grief, as it coincided with the Naksa defeat. On that particular day, she went to the Red Crescent to express her desire to volunteer and help, and began her journey with charity work and volunteerism. Tahani recounted that was embraced by two women: Ms. Isteqlal Radi who was an active member of the Red Crescent, and the Board Chairperson of The Light and Hope Organization; and Ms. Zeinab Ezzat who was the Secretary General of the Red Crescent, and the Board Chairperson of the Association for Productive Families. Tahani owes great loyalty to Ms. Zeinab because she trained her in organized social and volunteer work.
Tahani had a passion for nursing, and even her father had wanted her to become a doctor. This passion prompted her to attend a six-month training at al-Agouza Hospital before volunteering to travel to the battlefront in 1968, in order to provide aid to the soldiers and to the displaced Palestinians, reuniting families, and guiding them towards al-Qantara city, east of the Suez Canal. Tahani also joined Save the Children Organization in late 1968. She expressed her immense love for this organization and the children there, and recounted the work done to establish a nursery for the infants, and a school affiliated with the Ministry of Education. She was especially proud that the children at the organization did not feel different or inferior to any of their peers. She also spoke about the significant role played by Ms. Zeinab Ezzat, as well as Ms. Fatma Hegazi, who was a member of Save the Children and the President of My Children Association.
Tahani recounted the role of the Red Crescent during the wars of 1967 and October 1973, establishing military hospitals, and cooperating with hospitals to provide medications, facilities, wheelchairs, and other medical services. She also recalled the great sense of patriotism in Egypt at that time, which was manifested precisely at the time of October the 6th War in 1973. Tahani was part of the delegation that visited Sinai and examined the Bar Lev Line from the inside, after the troops had crossed the Suez Canal. She recounted that as soon as she arrived, she knelt down to the ground to kiss Sinai’s land.
Tahani was an active member of the Association for Productive Families, and participated in its various activities, including the charity bazar. She recalled that the association improved the living conditions of a large number of Egyptian families, and had an important role in providing aid to the national war efforts during the War of Attrition, and providing clothes to the displaced families. In 1992, Tahani headed the Red Crescent’s camp at al-Sayeda Zeinab neighborhood, which was responsible for managing the donations received from Egypt and Arab countries during the 1992 earthquake, and distributing them among the victims and their families. Tahani also recalled her role in Zeinhom’s Project, which was carried out under the auspices of the former governor of Cairo, and Suzan Mubarak, the first lady at the time. Through the donations of some businessmen, the project funded the construction of 28 housing units for slum dwellers, and was later expanded to include 85 housing units. The Red Crescent supervised the district of Zeinhom, and communicated the citizens’ problems to the governor, who chaired the project’s board of directors.
Tahani concluded the interview by asserting the importance of social and charity work, and the importance of industry and production. She also expressed her heartfelt devotion and love for her homeland Egypt, and explained that it was difficult for her to stay abroad for extended periods, and that she never felt safe anywhere else. She also talked about the deep love Egyptians have for their country, and their non-stop dedication to their homeland throughout the different ages. Tahani believed that no matter how much their sense of belonging faded at times, their patriotic spirit and commitment always showed in times of adversity. Tahani also expressed her pride in what Egyptian women, such as Nabawia Musa, Suhair al-Qalamawi, and Amina al-Said had accomplished. She was also proud of herself, as an Egyptian woman, for the efforts of her pioneer generation of women, and their contributions to Egypt’s development.