Mai Mahmoud, Director of the Women’s Skills Development Center at the National Council for Women, confirmed that the Council’s participation in major exhibitions such as the “Diarna” exhibition for handicrafts and heritage represents a fundamental pillar in its strategy aimed at economically empowering women. It provides them with real marketing opportunities and allows direct communication with the public.

Mahmoud explained during a phone interview on Extra News channel that these participations “have a very significant impact” as they come as a culmination of intensive training efforts targeting female entrepreneurs and women who have received specialized training in the Council’s workshops. She added, “The presence of women themselves at the exhibitions makes them understand market requirements and consumer tastes directly, enabling them to continuously improve and develop their products, which makes a big difference in their journey.”

The Director of the Skills Development Center emphasized that the training programs offered by the Council are not limited to the craft and technical aspects only, but extend to include “the entire production cycle and value chain.” She pointed out that training starts with teaching the craft, then moves to product development stages, effective marketing mechanisms, how to build a brand, and finally supporting women to transition to the formal sector to benefit from state incentives. She confirmed that “the ultimate goal of all this is that training leads to income improvement.”

Regarding mechanisms to encourage innovation in designs, Mai Mahmoud revealed that “engaging professional designers is a fundamental part” of the Council’s work plan. She gave an example of training held in Luxor, where specialized designers in the local heritage of the governorate are involved to ensure that products express its cultural identity.

She concluded by saying, “The role of the designer and trainer is to explain the importance and value of the heritage craft to women, and how to develop it with innovative ideas that match modern market requirements and consider public taste, without losing the authenticity of the product.”