The Soteria Project: Promoting gender equality in Egypt
By Kat Brealey, Embrace’s Programmes & Partnerships Manager for Egypt
Anafora - a Christian retreat in the heart of the desert
In the third century, Egypt’s desert was home to Christian monks and nuns who lived either as hermits or in small communities, seeking God away from the busyness of the cities. Today, our partner the Anafora Institute continues in that tradition.
Anafora is a retreat centre and eco-farm located on the desert road between Cairo and Alexandria, and home to a community of Coptic Christians, led by Metropolitan Thomas. As well as offering a peaceful environment to host church groups for retreats and weekends away, they run various projects which work to address Egypt’s most pressing challenges – including gender equality and climate change.
Anafora Christian Retreat Centre, Egypt.
The Soteria Project - challenging gender stereotypes
One of these is the Soteria Project, supported by Embrace. Soteria is a Greek word, meaning salvation, safety or deliverance. The project works with young women from Qussia, an area in Egypt’s rural south. The participants are women who have been identified by their village priest as having the potential to be an agent of change in their community.
They travel four hours by bus to Anafora and spend a week there. During this time, facilitators help them articulate and explore the messages they have received about what it means to be a woman, and their role in society. They are encouraged to recognise where these ideas have caused them harm, and prevented them from flourishing. Soteria offers a different perspective, inviting them to see that God loves women and desires a world where they live in freedom, safety and equality. Hearing that they are valuable, and not inferior to men, enables participants to identify their strengths and develop ambitions for the future.
Later in the year, the women return to Anafora for a second visit. Building on their new self-understanding, this time the week is focussed on learning a vocational skill which they can use to generate income when they return home. A staff member explained, “For some women it is new to have someone spend time with them to help them find their gifts. It helps them see that they can succeed – and then they think, what else can I do?”
In this way, learning a skill like weaving or candle-making gives participants a boost in confidence which benefits them in all areas of life. Back in their villages, they become part of a network of Soteria women who meet regularly, and are supported by a mentor or coach.
Supporting women psychologically, spiritually and practically
In 2023, I travelled to a village where I met a group of young women who had participated in Soteria. They were keen to tell me what they’d gained from the experience, explaining that it had helped them psychologically, spiritually and practically. They learned how to express themselves and felt less shy. They became more independent. They developed the desire to continue studying and achieve academic success. The older women in the room said they could see the change in the younger ones. “I want to send my daughter,” one told me.
In another village, I spent time with a group of women who serve as coaches for Soteria participants. As previous graduates of the programme, they now support other women to integrate their new perspective into daily life – which can be very challenging, especially if male relatives are not supportive. Coaches convene monthly meetings, make home visits, and stay in touch by phone calls or WhatsApp. “I am still learning from Soteria” said one coach, “and I want others to experience change like me.”
Recent participants of the Soteria Project, pictured along with other women from their village.
Back at Anafora, I met with Sara the project coordinator. She travels regularly to the villages in Qussia, and told me that recently she attended an event where she met a woman who had taken part in Soteria. The woman told her that she had rejected a marriage proposal from a man because he was not open-minded about gender roles. Sara was delighted to hear how the woman had taken on board the lessons she’d learned at Anafora, and had the confidence to implement them in her life.
A ministry of hospitality amid Egypt’s economic crisis
Yet despite these encouraging stories, the current economic situation in Egypt is hugely challenging for Anafora – as it is for all our partners. The cost of staple foods has increased sharply; far beyond the rises we’ve experienced here in the UK. A bag of sugar used to cost 15 Egyptian Pounds (38p), and now it is 55 Egyptian Pounds (£1.40).* This makes life it difficult for families to make ends meet. As I talked to Metropolitan Thomas over a cup of tea, he told me that recently a man asked him “pray for me that none of my children get ill”. While previously, people would ask Metropolitan Thomas for prayer for healing when a family member was sick, now they can’t afford for anyone to fall ill. Families have less money for emergencies, plus the cost of medication has increased and in some places is hard to find.
The economic situation also makes it difficult for Anafora to continue their ministry of hospitality. Wanting to be open to all, they offer meals and accommodation to guests for a suggested donation. Yet with many people living on site, and more visiting for events and retreats, the cost of things like washing powder is becoming prohibitive. While I was there, staff were searching through a supermarket catalogue, looking for offers which were worth the drive to a nearby town. The economic outlook for 2024 is that the situation will continue to deteriorate, so we pray that the work and witness of Anafora will be sustained.
Soteria gives participants a unique opportunity to explore their identity, heal from trauma, and find purpose. It’s a privilege to partner with Anafora to enable women to know their worth and let this reorientate their lives.
* Stop press: On 6th March, the value of the Egyptian pound fell more than 60% after the Egyptian Central Bank removed the fixed exchange rate and let it float. The flexible exchange rate will allow Egypt to receive additional assistance from the IMF and is seen as crucial to restoring investor confidence and rebuilding Egypt’s economy long-term. But the sharp fall in value will have significant impact on ordinary Egyptians today who are already struggling to make ends meet, significantly reducing their spending power.
