By Laurine Pierre, contributor, EgyptianStreets.com Scattered with farms and crop fields, Dahab Island (Gezirat Dahab) is one of two islands situated the south of Cairo, and the only one that is inhabited. Contrary to the rest of Cairo and other islands like Zamalek or Manial, Dahab Island has never experienced urban development as the local communities continue to firmly defend their rural way of life against developers who have been trying to purchase lands on the island for many years. Dahab Island also continues to be forgotten by the state, with the local population lacking basic public services. Spending a few hours on the island amongst the locals, you get to listen to their stories of neglect and the troubles they face on a day-to-day basis. Nevertheless, if you can close your eyes on the surrounding poverty and insalubrity, Dahab Island is a hidden paradise amidst a heavily urbanized and polluted Cairo. Because of its location many investors have tried to buy the lands for underrated price and expropriate its occupants, who refuse to leave their island, since their only resources are their crops field or their fishing boat. The…
15 Photos From An Endangered Rural Getaway in the Heart of Cairo
September 1, 2013
