Egypt Paper

In May 1992, the Alexanders were requested to give a short account of their work in Jamaica at an international crafts seminar on the University of Minnesota campus. Later in late October, Harold received a phone call from a young man who had heard the presentation in May. He had just returned from visiting his mother in Cairo, Egypt, and while there learned that she needed information regarding hand papermaking. Recalling the work in Jamaica, he contacted them. In January 1993, Marjorie and Harold visited Cairo for three weeks. The trip was sponsored by the Association for the Protection of the Environment (APE), a NGO group consisting of well educated, affluent, and dedicated individuals. APE had been formed several years before to assist a group of people called the Zabbaleens.

Background Information:
The Zabbaleens are former landless farmers from Upper Egypt (southern Egypt) who emigrated to Cairo after World War II eventually settling on the southeastern parameter of Cairo in the Moqattam Hills. The area is the site of ancient quarries from which stone is still being taken. Stone from these hills helped build the great pyramids across the Nile River, five kilometers to the west.

The Zabbaleens are considered to be the lowest economic group in Egypt. Being Coptic Christian, they raise pigs (Islamic Egyptians do not eat pork) and to feed their pigs, they collect garbage and are primarily THE garbage collectors for the 17 million inhabitants of modern Cairo. Also, interestingly, being Coptic Christians, they have not intermarried with Arab peoples, consequently, they are considered to be of almost pure ancient Egyptian heritage.

The tons upon tons of raw garbage collected daily are hand searched through for recyclable materials, e.g., plastics, metal, cloth, glass, and the edible remains are given to the many pigs in the courtyards of their homes.

Twenty years ago the APE volunteers assisted the Zabbaleens to obtain funding to establish a scientific pig waste composting operation in one of the ancient quarries to help handle the threatening inundation of pig waste being produced. The resulting nutrient rich compost is sold to cover the desert for increased farm land as the traditional crop producing areas bordering the Nile River are being now covered with compact housing development.

The income from the compost sales helps fund other socio-economic projects guided by the APE group, including the production of rag rugs, a nursery for infants, a private school for small children, a small flower-filled "green oasis" for the children (who live in an area without growing vegetation) and classes in health, family affairs, and computer and accounting procedures.

The long term influence wrought by the members of APE cannot be minimized. These dedicated individuals guide and assist the Zabbaleens engendering mutual respect that is rare and fine.

The Project:
The three-week trip to Cairo culminated with a request to look at a building under construction near the

composting operation and determine if the ground floor might be suitable for a papermaking center. When an affirmative response was given, simple plans were presented with the request for more complete plans for a papermaking center, a list of supplies and equipment, and the cost of establishing the center. All to be accomplished within a day and a half as the trip was ending. The information was assembled and presented back to the APE Board. Ten months later the Alexanders were invited to return for two months to train a "small group" of Zabbaleens to make paper.

Upon their return the beginning of February 1994, the Alexanders found a beautiful white building, essentially finished, with all the major equipment in place. They also found 36 young, eager Zabbaleen women and girls waiting for them. Fortunately an APE volunteer served as an interpreter daily and training began. Marjorie trained, and Harold went with a young man who spoke a little English to find small equipment items in Cairo. A most wonderful and exciting experience!

While in Cairo the Alexanders were contacted by the Center for Environment and Development Arab Regions and Europe (CEDARE) with the request to write a papermaking manual "that would inform an individual how to make paper with simple equipment, produce marketable products and then market them successfully." The book was published in the Arabic language by CEDARE in 1996. The English language edition was published by Maralex Studios in 1997 & 2007. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HANDCRAFTED PAPER.

The Alexanders returned to Cairo in September 1996 for a month of evaluation and additional training. Many new additions to the basic original equipment had been added and healthy sales of paper and paper-based products were reported. Two new Egyptian-made beaters based upon the original David Reina beater that had been imported from New York were in place. All three beaters were working every day to keep up with the demand for paper. All paper was made from recycled office paper waste coming from foreign embassies, and not through the garbage channel.

While in Egypt, at the request of members of the International Association of Paper Makers and Paper Artists (IAPMA), an international organization to which the Alexanders belong, arrangements for a guided tour of Egypt for papermakers were investigated. The plans developed in the ensuing months and in mid-September 1997, 30 hand papermakers from England, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Jamaica, and the United States visited the Moqattam paper center along with the ancient and modern sites of Egypt on the two-week "Pyramids, Papyrus and Paper Tour". The papermaking skills and products exhibited by the Zabbaleen papermakers were very impressive.

Currently, up to 50 papermakers are working six days a week to fill orders for their handcrafted recycled paper and paper-based products. The entire papermaking center operates at a profit, the papermakers are each being paid for their work and they are expanding to export markets.

Related Information


Home About Us Art Work Consulting Books Links		Egypt Paper In May 1992, the Alexanders were requested to give a short account of their work in Jamaica at an international crafts seminar on the University of Minnesota campus. Later in late October, Harold received a phone call from a young man who had heard the presentation in May. He had just returned from visiting his mother in Cairo, Egypt, and while there learned that she needed information regarding hand papermaking. Recalling the work in Jamaica, he contacted them. In January 1993, Marjorie and Harold visited Cairo for three weeks. The trip was sponsored by the Association for the Protection of the Environment (APE), a NGO group consisting of well educated, affluent, and dedicated individuals. APE had been formed several years before to assist a group of people called the Zabbaleens. Background Information: The Zabbaleens are former landless farmers from Upper Egypt (southern Egypt) who emigrated to Cairo after World War II eventually settling on the southeastern parameter of Cairo in the Moqattam Hills. The area is the site of ancient quarries from which stone is still being taken. Stone from these hills helped build the great pyramids across the Nile River, five kilometers to the west. The Zabbaleens are considered to be the lowest economic group in Egypt. Being Coptic Christian, they raise pigs (Islamic Egyptians do not eat pork) and to feed their pigs, they collect garbage and are primarily THE garbage collectors for the 17 million inhabitants of modern Cairo. Also, interestingly, being Coptic Christians, they have not intermarried with Arab peoples, consequently, they are considered to be of almost pure ancient Egyptian heritage. The tons upon tons of raw garbage collected daily are hand searched through for recyclable materials, e.g., plastics, metal, cloth, glass, and the edible remains are given to the many pigs in the courtyards of their homes. Twenty years ago the APE volunteers assisted the Zabbaleens to obtain funding to establish a scientific pig waste composting operation in one of the ancient quarries to help handle the threatening inundation of pig waste being produced. The resulting nutrient rich compost is sold to cover the desert for increased farm land as the traditional crop producing areas bordering the Nile River are being now covered with compact housing development. The income from the compost sales helps fund other socio-economic projects guided by the APE group, including the production of rag rugs, a nursery for infants, a private school for small children, a small flower-filled "green oasis" for the children (who live in an area without growing vegetation) and classes in health, family affairs, and computer and accounting procedures. The long term influence wrought by the members of APE cannot be minimized. These dedicated individuals guide and assist the Zabbaleens engendering mutual respect that is rare and fine. The Project: The three-week trip to Cairo culminated with a request to look at a building under construction near the composting operation and determine if the ground floor might be suitable for a papermaking center. When an affirmative response was given, simple plans were presented with the request for more complete plans for a papermaking center, a list of supplies and equipment, and the cost of establishing the center. All to be accomplished within a day and a half as the trip was ending. The information was assembled and presented back to the APE Board. Ten months later the Alexanders were invited to return for two months to train a "small group" of Zabbaleens to make paper. Upon their return the beginning of February 1994, the Alexanders found a beautiful white building, essentially finished, with all the major equipment in place. They also found 36 young, eager Zabbaleen women and girls waiting for them. Fortunately an APE volunteer served as an interpreter daily and training began. Marjorie trained, and Harold went with a young man who spoke a little English to find small equipment items in Cairo. A most wonderful and exciting experience! While in Cairo the Alexanders were contacted by the Center for Environment and Development Arab Regions and Europe (CEDARE) with the request to write a papermaking manual "that would inform an individual how to make paper with simple equipment, produce marketable products and then market them successfully." The book was published in the Arabic language by CEDARE in 1996. The English language edition was published by Maralex Studios in 1997 & 2007. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HANDCRAFTED PAPER. The Alexanders returned to Cairo in September 1996 for a month of evaluation and additional training. Many new additions to the basic original equipment had been added and healthy sales of paper and paper-based products were reported. Two new Egyptian-made beaters based upon the original David Reina beater that had been imported from New York were in place. All three beaters were working every day to keep up with the demand for paper. All paper was made from recycled office paper waste coming from foreign embassies, and not through the garbage channel. While in Egypt, at the request of members of the International Association of Paper Makers and Paper Artists (IAPMA), an international organization to which the Alexanders belong, arrangements for a guided tour of Egypt for papermakers were investigated. The plans developed in the ensuing months and in mid-September 1997, 30 hand papermakers from England, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Jamaica, and the United States visited the Moqattam paper center along with the ancient and modern sites of Egypt on the two-week "Pyramids, Papyrus and Paper Tour". The papermaking skills and products exhibited by the Zabbaleen papermakers were very impressive. Currently, up to 50 papermakers are working six days a week to fill orders for their handcrafted recycled paper and paper-based products. The entire papermaking center operates at a profit, the papermakers are each being paid for their work and they are expanding to export markets. Related Information Artwork Paper -worldwide Consultation Schedule

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