Not By Bread Alone

What To Expect From This Experience

• You will be involved in a travel with purpose experience that will link you to the people of Egypt and it will redefine what a holiday means. An experience that leaves a community better off than before.
• This is a total cultural experience where you meet every day Egyptian families and farmers who till the soil to earn a living and to feed their families
• You can talk to the locals about their life experiences and gain penetrating insight into Egyptian culture and their relationship with the land and the Nile
• Of all the experiences you can have in Egypt this is one that you will also remember for life. The resilience of the local people will inspire you and they welcome you into their communities and homes as they do their families and friends. A wonderful experience.

Leveraging a Cultural Legacy

Egyptians are never far away from their cultural and historical ties with the past. For over 4000 years, bread has been the most important food in Egypt, and it is to this current day. And the evidence for the earliest bread making by Egyptians can be found in the ancient wall decorations of tombs and temples. In the ancient past the basic foods of both the poor and wealthy Egyptians were bread and beer. It is this cultural legacy which we are harnessing to help Egyptian families.

Eish Means Life

In Egypt today, the colloquial term for bread is ‘eish’ which literally means ‘life’. And it seems that it is only in Egypt where bread has such reverence. The most popular bread in Egypt is ‘baladi’ bread which is baked in household and restaurant ovens across the country. Because it is the mainstay for most Egyptians, the government subsides its costs.

How is the Bread Sold?

Typically, the bread is sold at the oven to Egyptians walking by street vendors. It is transported to vendors on bicycles. And that is a sight to see as young men balance trays of hot bread on their heads as they navigate the chaotic city foot and vehicle traffic.

Small Business Opportunities for Egyptian Families

There is always great demand for ‘baladi’ bread and the women in villages have the culinary skills to make the bread. What has been missing is the capital and tools required to start up their bread making business. One Horizon identifies those women in villages and those with families that would benefit from making bread as their own small business.

Additional Employment Opportunities for Egyptian Households

And our families can also enter our program that hosts travellers in their village and homes. By undertaking bread making classes with the guests, they earn income as well. This is a great grass roots opportunity to meet local families and to learn about life in Egyptian villages. It’s great fun and typically a lot of singing and laughter all around.

Our Excursions to Villages and Farms Are Inspiring

Our excursions to farms bring people from all walks of life together to help each other. A genuine collaboration which enables everyone to get involved and to ‘give back’. It’s travel with a purpose. Our guests enjoy the excursions immensely. And our Egyptian families also earn an income from hosting guests. It’s a win-win situation for all. You can combine this excursion with our other tours for a totally immersive cultural experience.

You Can Get Involved in Helping Egyptians and Learn a Ancient Tradition at the Same Time

In addition to including a farm excursion in your travels to Egypt, you may also like to consider providing funding to purchase a baking oven for an Egyptian family. Your help would facilitate this program and economic empowerment to its recipients.

This excursion can be combined with other tours for totally immersive activities. The other tours include Khan El Khalili Bazaar, Old Cairo (Coptic and Islamic History), the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, Stairways to Eternity (The Pyramids of Giza) and many others. Please enquire at One Horizon for your options.

• Pick up and return from your hotel
• Water
• Lunch
• All entrance fees, service charge, current taxes, and vat.
• Services of an English-speaking guide
• (Optional) Membership of the Ancient Egyptian Research Association (AERA) which supports the training of young Egyptian archaeologists and field work excavations in Egypt

Exclusions

• Personal expenditure of any kind
• Tips
• Alcoholic Drinks and extra meals (other than those stated in the itinerary)