Unheard in Cairo

Farida grew up in an Egypt most people misunderstand, modern and full of unheard youth voices.

Farida Ayad: Youth4Truth's Egypt Ambassador

Introduction

In Egypt, young people are active, creative, and ambitious, yet often unrecognized. Their projects and ideas exist, but they are rarely taken seriously until much later in life. Farida describes growing up in a society shaped by tradition, religion, and authority, where freedom of expression is limited and expectations are often imposed by family and culture.

Today, Farida studies film in California. While her academic focus is creative, her insights into politics and economics remain sharp. Her journey reflects something central to Youth4Truth: you do not need to study politics to understand it, question it, or contribute to improving it. Youth voices matter across disciplines and experiences.

At the same time, Egypt is not static. Modernization, startups, and local businesses are becoming more visible, especially after recent economic shocks.

At Youth4Truth, politics is not theory. It is lived reality. Prices rising, opportunities delayed, and voices waiting to be heard.

This conversation with Farida reflects what daily life feels like for many young Egyptians today and how those perspectives travel beyond borders.

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The Interview

Q: From your perspective, what are the biggest issues young people in Egypt are dealing with right now?

Farida: Youth in Egypt are not really recognized. Their work and projects do not get enough credit, and this has been the case for a long time. Young people do not really get a voice until their mid twenties. Recently there has been more support for startups and businesses, even for people under 18, which helped, but socially there are still many limits.

Q: How would you describe freedom of speech for young people?

Farida: Freedom of speech is limited compared to Western countries. Many beliefs are religion based and pushed by society and parental figures. A lot of young people do not actually believe in these things, but there is not much freedom to say that openly. When Egyptians leave the country, they experience a big culture shock because of how free speech is elsewhere.

Q: Has this changed under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi?

Farida: I think in some ways it has gotten better. He is trying to modernize the country, especially through infrastructure like roads. Socially, more things have become acceptable. He has played a role in modernization, even if not everything has improved.

Q: What is the biggest misconception people have about Egypt?

Farida: People think Egypt is not developed at all. They imagine camels and nothing modern. That is not true. Egypt has cars, skyscrapers, and modern areas. The problem is the lack of a middle class. Things are either very advanced or very poor, and that creates this stereotype.

Q: How do you see Egypt culturally compared to other countries in the region?

Farida: Egypt is more lenient than many other Middle Eastern countries. Egyptians often do not like being called Arab, even though we speak Arabic. Many people see Egypt as North African with its own history and identity.

Q: What is the situation for women in Egypt?

Farida: Women still have less power and are paid less than men. Compared to other countries in the region, Egypt is better, but it is still not equal. I do not really see strong government movements focused on expanding women’s rights.

Q: Do young people care about elections or politics?

Farida: Not really. Young people do not talk about politics much. It would be strange to have those conversations with friends. Youth do not feel involved in elections.

Q: How does the economy affect young people?

Farida: Youth unemployment is very high. Most people do not work until they are around 20 or 21. Part time jobs for teenagers are not common. The currency devaluation caused huge inflation. Prices for food, gas, and imports went up a lot, sometimes by around 45 percent.

Q: How did this show up in daily life?

Farida: People struggled to afford basic needs. Imports became too expensive, so many people stopped buying them. Over time, this pushed the growth of local brands and local production. Now many clothes, foods, and snacks are made in Egypt.

Q: How does education shape inequality?

Farida: There is a huge difference between public education and international schools. International students are prepared to study abroad, and most of them do. Public school students are usually not given those opportunities. Education creates a big class divide very early.

Q: Are people optimistic about the future?

Farida: Yes, surprisingly. A few years ago, during the economic crisis, people felt very pessimistic. Now, partnerships with Gulf countries have helped, and many people feel cautiously optimistic.

Conclusion

Farida’s story challenges a common assumption that only those studying politics or economics can speak on them.

From Egypt to California, her perspective shows the opposite. Being a film student does not distance her from political or economic reality. It adds a new lens to understand and communicate it.

Young people in Egypt are adapting to limits, economic pressure, and delayed recognition, while still holding onto optimism about the future. Their experiences are not extreme or dramatic. They are ordinary, normalized, and shared by millions.

Youth are not disengaged.

They are waiting to be taken seriously.