SUPPORTING EGYPTIAN & NUBIAN COMMUNITIES
The majority of the royalties from my books on Egypto-Nubian subjects are donated to charities supporting Egyptian and Nubian communities today. Here are the charities which have been supported by my book royalties so far, thanks to you!
- HEYA MASR, seeks to "restore a sense of dignity and pride in young Egyptian women by building their self-confidence and empowering them mentally and physically to develop themselves. Heya Masr targets young girls and boys aged 6-18 to strengthen their character. We do this by providing a safe and nurturing environment for physical activities, nutritional and healthy lifestyle education, character development activities, sexual harassment and bullying awareness, and self-defense strategies. We believe that to make an impact, we need to educate both young women and men equally. Heya Masr is empowering a young generation of girls and boys now for a better Egypt tomorrow."
- TAWASOL EGYPT,
supports low-income communities in Cairo. Over the years Tawasol has
combined education with vocational training and health services and in
2012 it launched a performing arts program in order to have a creative
outlet
for its students and develop their talents through theatre, choir,
Egyptian folklore, and circus arts. They have an online shop containing
products made by the families they support, who receive 100% of the
proceeds.
- NUBI YOUTH, are dedicated to empowering Nubian youth, uplifting their community by preserving their culture, engaging youth development, and participation in community outreach projects.
A NOTE ON POSITIONALITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
At
present my published books cover topics relating to ancient Egyptian
religion, including sections discussing Egyptian and Nubian heritage
sites and advice for individuals seeking to respectfully revive aspects
of ancient traditions originating from these cultures today. My life is
dedicated to
learning about Egyptian and Nubian history and culture (ancient and modern) on a
professional basis, as well as a personal spiritual one. I am aware
that as a white British woman, I possess many unearned privileges and
recognise the continued harmful effects of colonialism on Egyptian and
Nubian communities today. In my position, I know that it is both morally
right, as well as intellectually essential for me to be reflexive and
responsible when studying, engaging with, and publishing about Egyptian
and Nubian heritage and that I do so in a way that ultimately benefits modern Egyptians, Nubians, and Sudanese people (including diaspora).
With this in mind, I am endeavouring to address gaps
in my Egyptological
education, support efforts to decolonise the field, and to be actively
anti-racist; this also extends to decolonising contemporary (western)
Paganisms and my own practise within this.
For those who are drawn to learning about Egypt, I recommend that you follow Egypt's Dispersed Heritage, a project headed by Egyptian scholar Heba Abd el-Gawad and Egyptian artist Nasser Junior, which seeks to re-centre modern Egyptians in narratives concerning Egyptian heritage; you can watch a video about the project here.
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