As part of the 13 Villages project that launched in 2008, I set out to train women in the surrounding villages of Sharkeya and teach them how to make our fruit and veggie toys. Many women in these villages, though capable of working, are unable to leave their villages because of family responsibilities.

So we brought work to the villages.

Each village is trained and assigned one style of Under the Nile’s stuffed fruit and veggie toys while being over seen by our Master toymaker, Inbegorg Marienfeld.

Our factory cuts the fabric, prepares the embellishments, and delivers the raw materials to the villages. Marienfeld visits them regularly to make sure the highest quality is achieved and to answer any questions. When the toys are ready for pick up, the women receive a fair wage for their work.

The results of this project are incredible.

I can tell that the women feel a sense of self-worth and empowerment. Learning a trade is inspiring them to try other things they would not normally have attempted. Not only are the women happy, but the entire village is proud of what they have accomplished.

Since the project started 10 years ago, many of these women now work in the Under the Nile toy shop at our factory and send their children to the Sekem School.

I believed that poverty could not be addressed solely through financial aid, so we found a way to offer a livelihood through work, providing financial stability and a sense of self-worth.