Yes, She Can: Continuing Education Success Story
From engineer to award-winning, full-time voiceover artist, Marwa Khalil, a 38-year old mother of three and entrepreneur, is a recent graduate of the She Can program. Offered by AUC’s School of Continuing Education (SCE) — which is celebrating its centennial this year — She Can supports Egyptian women who wish to successfully lead or manage their own businesses.
Khalil resigned from her position as an engineer only a month after working in the profession. She experimented with different roles in the media field until she eventually found her niche as a voiceover artist, joining an online group specialized in teaching all there is to know about the voiceover industry. Determined to grow and expand her knowledge, Khalil set out on a search for business courses when she came across the She Can program in 2022. Less than a year later, she was named winner of the 2023 African Podcast and Voiceover Award.
“When I discovered She Can, I was astounded," said Khalil. "Women are underrepresented in the business world, so it’s truly great to have an initiative tailored to supporting them in starting or developing their businesses. I felt that even if I was not accepted into the program, I was just happy it existed. Of course, I was thrilled to get in. It was a game changer for me.”
SCE launched the program in February 2022. Noha Salem, assistant director of programs and partnerships at SCE, noted the success of the initiative thus far. “Last year, 105 women graduated from the program, and there are currently another 105 women entrepreneurs enrolled this year,” she stated.
Khalil believes that networking and exchanging experiences and insights with fellow students is just as important as learning the know-how of marketing, branding and finance. “Connecting with people who share similar purposes and aspirations was simply amazing,” she recalled. “Having the opportunity to work with like-minded individuals developed relationships that grew beyond the program. We had the hands-on experience of working on inspiring projects, one of which was, ‘how to start your business with 1 Egyptian pound.’”
She added, “Taking a course with the brilliant SCE instructor Hesham Abdelghaffar was eye-opening and empowering. He taught me how I could implement my knowledge and entrepreneurial skills to customize them in a way that corresponded well with my work as an artist,” Khalil recalled. “I believe that was one of the highlights of my experience in the She Can program. It was a wholesome learning opportunity.”
Ultimately, creating a strong She Can community gave participants the chance to effectively give back to the program. They now play pivotal roles in contributing to the initiative’s events and exhibitions, where they share their stories and inspiring journeys within the program.
“I am delighted to report that our participants have not only established their own businesses but have also achieved remarkable success in growing their ventures and income,” Salem noted. “Their success is as a testament to the transformative power of the She Can program, inspiring countless other women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.”
