Born and raised in Egypt, I was brought up to be a good middle class Egyptian girl; but somehow being good did not suit my notions. Deep down I have rejected the heavy heritage of traditions and norms that made no sense to my inquisitive mind. I could not understand why girls were killed, committed suicide, or lived in eternal shame when they lost their virginity.
I failed to comprehend why such a rule applied only to girls and their male counterparts were spared. After my grand mother passed away we stopped celebrating Christmas, New Year's Eve, Halloween, and Thanks Giving ... does being a Muslim forbid me from all my childhood memories? Why do I have to get married? Why can't I date? Why do men cheat? Why do I have to accept it? Why? Why? Why? And many more unanswered questions.
I have come a long way from the scared little girl that I once was ... I found my passion in writing, my voice in teaching & training, and my strength in marketing ... I took off my mask ... and I decided to speak up and loud .. as loud as loud could ever be.
Marwa Rakha's first book - The Poison Tree – planted & grown in Egypt - has become Egypt's first literary audio book in English.
Narration: Marwa Rakha.
Volunteering Artists: Amr Khaled - Bad Apple, Juliet Annerino, Lisa Portal.
Photography: Courtesy of Mahmoud Saad. Location: Club Mohamed Ali – Courtesy of Dr. Maged Farag.
Recording: Courtesy of Radio Horytna
Sound Engineering: Mohamed Khaled
Special thanks to Rami Mohsen for the editing, production, and effects.