Amira Fouad learnt how politics and culture are two faces of the same coin A graduate of the Arab Academy of Science & Technology (AAST) who holds a diploma in psychology community, Isis Khalil, a female activist launched the first populous cultural centre in Alexandria called El Sandara or the Attic, a centre that targets ordinary people in slums, suburbs and the Alexandria outskirts. Khalil, whose dream is not only spreading political awareness among poor suburbs but also in spreading arts and culture to the unreachable, has gained popularity and respect among all youths in Alexandria in virtually no time. When did you start? We started in 2009 in rural and suburb areas like Bakus, Al-Wardyan and Abdel-Kader where we tried to reach people to let their voices be heard and to let them know that they are of great significance to our society. Even though it was mainly political awareness, social and major communal problems were what we usually faced. Those people don't care about politics as we do. What they do care about is basic human needs: a roof to protect them from lashing cold, daily wages, clean water, etc. We really manage each time to help them in any possible way by addressing the Alexandria governorate or the ones who are in charge. Did things change after the 25 January Revolution in raising political awareness among youth? It was not only among youth but also among people of under privileged areas who didn't actually understand our revolution and who more or less drifted towards the idea. Of course in time, they were the ones who urged us to go to demonstrations. The role we did play better was how to let them see the difference among the candidates in the parliamentary elections and in the referendum. We just helped them choose via the campaign 'your vote will certainly make a difference'. How did you manage to approach such restricted or better put closed classes? Though it is very difficult to go through suburb areas in which we know no one there to help us, we usually seek the help of a key person there. In every suburb or village, there is always a key person whom we usually target. Such an individual could be an imam (mosque preacher), a doctor, priest or even café owner. Often, he/she would help us a lot in reaching families and in entering homes. Sometimes, they manage to raise awareness about projects there and help support any kind of workshop we would like to set up. But you started your awareness campaigns mainly in politics, then you created your own cultural project, El Sandara. Why? Our political campaigns were always faced with social and cultural problems that people we want to help face in their daily lives. Apart from the very poor education they receive if any, they don't have libraries, cinemas, cultural centres, or even a local bookstore or art centre. Children there are the ones who inspired us to act culturally and socially, not only in the political arena. We came to the conclusion that such suburbs could spread cultural events or teach children the basic life skills through culture. This way, their social condition will improve and their duty towards their country will be accomplished. You see, it is a circle that one always leads to another. That's when the idea of the cultural centre El Sandara crossed your mind? The idea of El Sandara or the attic is where we put all our valuable stuff, like old books, magazines, newspapers, clothes, and toys which we just can't throw away. It is about revealing and enlightening our valuables with beautiful and precious ideas that we used to inherit but now have forgotten. What's your latest project? We are launching in collaboration with the San Mark Student Union in Alexandria the carving out of the largest mural in Shatbi. Its motto is 'All Glory for our Martyrs'. There is also a musical band called Haky Shaaby (folk storytelling). We will collaborate with them to retell history to children using old musical rhyming rhythms. There is also the 'Law Ayez Tersam' (If you want to draw) workshop to teach children in underprivileged neighbourhoods painting and sketching.
