Kollena is an online directory of professionals, organizations, and institutions that service individuals with disabilities and special educational needs in Egypt. We hope to be the country and region’s first directory of its kind.
By pooling together information in one virtual location, Kollena’s mission is to facilitate the search process for parents and families, when looking for services for individuals in need of support.
We know how overwhelming and excruciating this journey can be for families. Our ultimate aim is to foster a trusting community that helps minimize feelings of stress and anxiety for families when looking for help.
We value acceptance. We value collaboration. We value synergy. We value opportunity. Plain and simple. We believe that every child can get to where they want to be with the right support and through a network that works tirelessly to correct the present misconceptions and presupposed judgements of individuals with special educational needs and disability.
I personally grew up in a family that faced a long journey of challenges when trying to provide a better quality of life for their children with disabilities so that they could thrive and participate both socially and academically in Egypt. It is my mission to change that narrative. Help is out there and we want families to know we have their back. Originally a PricewaterhouseCoopers Strategy consultant for Mergers and Acquisitions in the MENA region, I shifted careers to the special educational needs and disability field in 2019. I am now a learning skills development specialist for children with developmental disorders and learning difficulties.
Fuelled by the internal drive to create inclusive spaces and opportunities for children with learning difficulties, I now dedicate my work towards supporting these children in a national language school in Egypt. My aim is to pave the way for parents who are raising children with abilities that are different from what our society has always and only known. To do this, I have learnt how essential it is for all of us to come together and do better for individuals in need of support.