The rise of Egypt’s female entrepreneurs

“We wanted to blend technology with the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, so we talked with the parents and social circles of such people. We know more about their problems and issues now, and we are trying to solve them through our channel Galsa,” said Aya Makharita, CEO and founder of galsa.com.

Makharita is a new graduate of the Faculty of Science at Zagazig University. She is a 22-year-old woman who has decided with her team mates to launch a mobile application that enables people with autism and their families to find the best emotional coaching available. 

She and her team mates at galsa.com started their project last year, wanting to help to bridge the gap between professionals and people with disabilities.

“We wanted to help people with autism and people with disabilities because they are not the only ones who are suffering. There are also their families and their circles of friends. That’s why we thought of launching galsa.com, in which they can have one place to reach out to when they want to ask and consult about anything,” Makharita said. 

Through its coaching services, Galsa has been able to reach out to more than 400 clients with 500 consultants, specialists, and professionals. It has also sought the assistance of the Creative Innovation Hubs, an initiative by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) implemented through the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (TIEC).  

Through this programme, the founding team was able to get assistance in training and mentorship sessions so that they could kick off their own startup. 

As a woman who is starting her own business, Makharita said she had got all the support she needed from her family and friends, who have now become integral parts of the business. By bringing digital transformation within the reach of industry sectors, she hopes she can help to bring virtual-reality (VR) programmes to offer educational and social services for children and parents.