CAIRO - Sailing on the Nile in a felucca in the bright sunshine is surely a soul-comforting experience. The green swathes of land that seem to glide by in the background are nothing but scattered islands that only add to the beauty of the scene. Yet for people actually living on some of these islands, such as Geziret el-Dahab (Island of Gold), Nile excursions have a totally different meaning and purpose. This island is home to a number of rustic yet luxurious weekend retreats that speak of the wealth of their owners. Meanwhile, the poor farmers and their families, who live there feel that they don't belong to Cairo, one of the world's biggest cities, even though they are actually situated right in the heart of the capital. Geziret el-Dahab, located in Giza, just across the water from Maadi, is one of 144 islands on the Nile in Egypt. Geziret el-Dahab's very name evokes its natural beauty and serenity, especially at sunset, but the island is like a prison in the eyes of its inhabitants. Those simple and hard-working people are connected with the outside world by means of shabby, rusty ferries which takes them across the river to the Maadi Corniche, South of Cairo, where they can find the services they need. The island lacks sewerage, schools, hospitals and a police station. Although they do have potable water, the pipes, which were installed by a business tycoon, are of small diametre and give citizens access to tap water for just a few hours every day. Because of the dilapidated condition of the ferries and the fact that many residents drown, some parents refuse to send their children to school on the mainland. Moreover, transportation is very expensive, especially as parents have to accompany their young children to school and pick them up. They often arrive late, because the journey is tricky. The result of this difficult socioeconomic situation is an increase in the number of school dropouts, who tend instead to lend their families a hand in farming the land. However, in the southern part of the island, where the population density is relatively high, a one-class school for dropouts was opened three months ago. Manar Mohamed, one of the two teachers at the school, says that most girls on the island get married at the age of 14. She told Al-Masry Al-Youm independent daily that three of 23 pupils in her class have already stopped coming to school, while the rate of absenteeism is high because the girls are sometimes compelled to look after their younger siblings or work with their fathers on the farm. Manar has also noticed a difference in the character and experience of the children, compared to schoolchildren on the mainland. "Life here is very closed and many families don't even have TV to broaden their vision. The island as such is, to a great extent, isolated and this has a direct bearing on the behaviour of the children," she said. Seventy kilometres south of Cairo, the inhabitants of Al-Ayat Island are also compelled, due to the island's topography and governmental indifference, to live in isolation. Most of its inhabitants are farmers and fishermen, who struggle every day to make a living. Much of the lower-lying land on the island is submerged most of the year. Salah Mahmoud, a middle-aged farmer with four children to feed, pays the Ministry of Agriculture LE750 per feddan (acre) of land he rents, although he can't work when the Nile floods the land. Last year, the Nile flooded earlier than usual and his land was submerged for six months, from March to August. Mahmoud has to go fishing in times of austerity. The other farmers on the island are also suffering. They complain that it costs them almost twice as much to farm their land than the farmers on the mainland, because they have to pay to transport their crops by ferry to the mainland. Worst of all, Ayat Island has no electricity although it is situated opposite the village of Al-Ayat on the west bank. Its people live a quiet life – by necessity, not choice. They wake at dawn to start ploughing the land and work till sunset. Then it's time to go to bed. Going to a doctor or hospital is also a hardship for them, as it's expensive and the journey is difficult. Their dream is a modest one: all they want is to lead a decent life.
