Between Two Dreams: Ethar’s Journey from Hospitality to Journalism

At 20 years old, Ethar carries more than one identity, and more than one dream. A Sudanese refugee born and raised in Egypt, she grew up navigating life much like any other young girl in Cairo: school mornings, homework, friendships, and family responsibilities. As the eldest of four sisters, Ethar learned early what it meant to lead.

“I’m more Egyptian than Sudanese,” she says with a smile, reflecting on her childhood. “All my school years were in Egyptian public schools. Egypt is the only home I’ve ever really known.” 

For years, her life followed a familiar rhythm. Then came the moment that changed everything.

Ethar remembers clearly the day she heard about a scholarship opportunity jointly offered by UNHCR and the Sawiris Foundation, a chance to study at the German Hotel School in El Gouna. It felt distant at first, almost unreal.

“I approached UNHCR’s education implementing partner, where the interview took place,” she recalls. “I didn’t know what to expect. When I got accepted, it was a very mixed feeling, happiness, excitement, but also fear.

Leaving home for El Gouna was Ethar’s first true step into independence, and not everyone was convinced she was ready.

“My father was very supportive,” she says. “But my mother thought I wasn’t independent enough to embark on this journey. She was worried, like any mother would be.”

Those doubts faded quickly. From the moment Ethar started school, something clicked.

“The moment I started, I loved everything,” she says, her voice softening. “The people, the curriculum, the environment, everything.”

Even now, two years after graduating, the memories still overwhelm her.

“I have tears in my eyes every time I remember the friends I made and the days we shared together,” she says. “It wasn’t just a school. It was a life.”

After graduation, Ethar spent two years working at a five‑star hotel in El Gouna, gaining experience and confidence in the hospitality industry. On paper, she was thriving. But inside, another dream refused to fade.

“Even though I studied hospitality, I couldn’t forget my passion for journalism,” she says. “Maybe it’s because of my late father, I don’t know, but from a very young age, I dreamed of becoming another Rya Abi Rashed.”

Her father, a journalist, had passed away, but his influence remained deeply rooted. Journalism wasn’t just a career aspiration, it was a legacy, a connection, and a promise she had made to herself.

Then one day, she found it.

“I saw an announcement for a journalism school affiliated with the American University in Cairo,” she says. “The moment I read it, I knew this was the future I wanted for myself..”

Today, Ethar is in her second year of journalism studies, and for the first time, she feels fully aligned with herself.

“I’ve never been happier,” she says. “I finally feel that I’m a step closer to my childhood dream.”

She pauses, then adds quietly, “I’m sure my beloved father, up in heaven, is proud of me.”

Ethar’s journey, from public schools in Egypt, to hospitality training in El Gouna, to journalism classrooms in Cairo, is not just a story of opportunity. It’s a story of resilience, identity, and the courage to change direction without letting go of who you are.

And at only 20 years old, Ethar is just getting started.