I want to personally thank you [Fenneke] for what you did here... and I would bet, at many other places. Your zest for life is so contagious and I do regret not having the opportunity to get to know you better.
Ann Femia Del Tatto |
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| About us |
Eboo is a non-profit humanitarian project that was initiated in Egypt in May 2008.
 Eboo, which means caring woman or mother, reflects our primary vision, which is to empower destitute women and children in Egypt. The word Eboo derives from Indonesian “ibu” and is the affectionate nickname that Fenneke’s husband, Wim, has always used for Fenneke. Fenneke decided that by calling her project Eboo, the name would mean something personally to her as well as encapsulate the people she primarily wants to assist, namely women as well as children.
Empowerment is achieved through assisting women to develop new skills, helping to educate children and ultimately enabling these individuals to control their own lives and make their own decisions. The more women and children who become self-sufficient, the better the quality of life they and their families can enjoy.
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| History of Eboo |
 The history of Eboo is fascinating as it is the brainchild of one woman: an intrepid Dutch lady called Fenneke Dijkema. In May 2008, Fenneke decided that she wanted to give something back to the Egyptian community; to make a difference. She met some women who were working at St Simon’s Centre in garbage city, an area of abject poverty in Moqattam. These ladies could sew but had no permanent source of income.
Armed with two metres of colourful Egyptian Khayameya fabric and a burning desire to help, Fenneke brought her own apron from home and commissioned the ladies to duplicate it. Her first “order” was for two aprons. These she rapidly sold and used the proceeds to further support St Simon’s Centre as well as other worthwhile causes in Cairo.
And so Eboo was born.
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| Where we are today |
 With steely determination, endless enthusiasm and unflagging passion Fenneke’s initial purchase of two metres of fabric culminated in a total purchase of 10,525 metres in one and a half years. The end result produced over 6000 bags and over 3000 aprons. One hundred percent of all proceeds have been ploughed back to those who need assistance.
Sadly, Fenneke left Cairo in December 2009 but others have stepped in to ensure that her legacy continues. We want to keep Eboo flourishing for many years to come. |
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