El Amara Tribe: Sustainable Ventures in Upper Egypt

This case explores the challenges faced by Hashem El Dandarawy, a respected tribal leader in Upper Egypt, as he tackles the environmental and economic issues posed by banana waste in his community. Troubled by the widespread burning of banana leaves, El Dandarawy launched a fertilizer initiative in 2010 to convert the waste into organic compost. While environmentally promising, the project struggled to become established due to rising fuel costs and farmers’ preference for traditional, no-cost manure. In 2017, El Dandarawy expanded his approach by founding the Dandara Cultural Forum, which inspired local entrepreneurs like Taha Gad to repurpose banana waste into furniture and home decor through a venture called MozFibre. Despite its creative potential, this initiative faced logistic challenges and the need for skilled artisans. By 2020, El Dandarawy was evaluating whether to continue with the fertilizer project, support MozFibre, or explore new ideas such as paper or textile production.