I went together with some blogger friends to an iftar and hung out briefly yesterday with the Kafr Elw residents, in their new flats in Helwan’s El-Mothalath neighborhood. Everyone is full of joy, power and self-confidence following months of victorious struggle to force the government into compensating them for their demolished homes.
I first met Om Abdu during the (largely women) protest in Abdeen Sq. in December of last year.
For sure Om Abdu last evening was a different woman.
She was hypermanic, showering me and other activist bloggers with hugs and kisses, pulling us from one flat to another, showing us with pride their new places, shouting loudly at her shy son who didn’t want to be photographed initially. “Come and show the world your new home ya wad!” yelled Om Abdu.
The only concern the Kafr Elw residents have now is that though they received their keys and fully settled in their new flats, they have not received yet their official ownership contracts. “We were told either mid or end of Ramadan we’ll get them,” said Om Abdu. “We still haven’t heard back from them (Helwan Governorate). We hope to receive them by Eid.”
