Subjects: Dr. Raga Ahmed Abdou – President of the Alexandria Businesswomen’s Association (ABWA)
Dr. Howaida El Sayed Shalaby – Board Member of ABWA
Profession: Pharmacists
Base: Alexandria
 
The world in general has changed in many ways over the last 50 years, not least regarding the status of women in business. When Dr. Raga Ahmed Abdou graduated from Alexandria University’s Faculty of Pharmacy in 1960, it was unheard of for a woman to have her own pharmacy; but that did not stop her. Today she owns two and her daughter, Dr. Howaida El Sayed Shalaby, has followed in her footsteps with pharmacies of her own.
Raga says that her father – an engineer in the Faculty of Engineering at Alexandria University – was an early influence on her career. “He treated me as if I were a son and allowed me all the opportunities that a boy would have,” she says. This progressive attitude was shared by her husband – a German-educated physician – who has never stood in her way. She readily acknowledges his support and the freedom he allowed her that enabled her to establish her first pharmacy when just 22 years old.
She started her business career with a shop called El Rahma in a poor area of western Alexandria. One of the features of her life’s work has always been a consideration for others, coupled with her willingness to share the fruits of her success and the benefits of her experience. Consequently, while she went on to open a second shop – El Hamam – she also found the time and energy to work for the Pharmacists’ Syndicate, to head the Alexandria Municipal Council’s Department of Health, and to help those less fortunate than herself through numerous charitable activities.
When Raga began her career there was no businesswomen’s association in the city. However, it was clear to her and her fellow pioneers that there was a real need for one, so they created ABWA, of which she is now the president. The association has gone from strength to strength under her presidency and is now entering a new and exciting period of expansion under the Egyptian Businesswomen’s Partnership Program.
Raga says that the secret of her success is good time management. This is all too evident when you consider that alongside all her other occupations she has also raised two daughters; one of whom is a school director and the other, of course, a pharmacist!
“I have always wanted to be like my mother,” says Dr. Howaida El Sayed Shalaby, who has been a member of ABWA for 10 years. In many ways she has achieved this particular ambition. She graduated from Alexandria University’s Faculty of Pharmacy in 1983 and by 1987 she had opened her own pharmacy, El Rahman, in Borg el Arab. She now owns a second pharmacy, Noor El Rahman, and has plans to open a third.
Under Egyptian law, no one person is allowed to own more than two pharmacies. However, this should pose no problems as two of her children are carrying on the family tradition by studying pharmacy at Alexandria University. Not only that, mother and daughter now have plans to amalgamate the various family businesses into one large company. In this respect the Egyptian Businesswomen’s Partnership Program will play an invaluable part and Howaida has signed up for a course that will help them decide upon the best ways to undertake the process.
Being true entrepreneurs, both Raga and Howaida know that one of the secrets of success in business is not to be restricted, and have the ability to expand and diversify. Consequently, their shops are not merely concerned with dispensing medicines but also feature departments selling cosmetics, health foods and other products dedicated to the promotion of well-being.
They are also looking into the feasibility of entering the vast and growing market of herbal medicines. Egypt’s favorable climate, and large areas of land that have not been tainted by manmade fertilizers and insecticides, make it ideal for growing herbs that are used in the manufacture of alternative medicines, health foods, herbal teas and a range of other products that are much sought after around the world.
One of the leading markets for these products is the European Union. However, the EU makes great demands on the quality and standards of the goods it imports. There are a bewildering number of regulations that must be adhered to by exporters, regarding sourcing, labeling, packaging etc. Fortunately, as members of ABWA, Raga and Howaida have access to seminars and courses which comprehensively detail and explain what requirements importers expect and give advice to potential exporters.
Furthermore, the frequent visits to Germany organized by Global Project Partners give the members of Egyptian businesswomen’s associations the chance to see how things are done in the EU and learn about how they can do business with companies abroad. Consequently, it probably will not be long before Raga and Howaida’s family will need another chapter of their success story to be written.