06.26.2014
Young Egyptians are working to make sure that new technology moves southwards, reports Sarah Eissa

S3Geeks, or Saeedy Geeks (Upper Egyptian Geeks), is an initiative founded and run by Egyptian young people from Upper Egypt that aims to create a new entrepreneurship and technological community in Upper Egypt, says 20-year-old Salsabeel Anwar, the group’s public relations manager. The initiative was founded in 2011 in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena with a view to spreading new technologies southwards to communities outside Cairo.

Anwar, in her third year in Engineering College at Cairo University, has experienced living in Cairo as well as in Upper Egypt. Before the foundation of the group there were almost no activities in Upper Egypt relating to the new technologies, and the group aims to remedy this situation.

Defying the stereotype of Upper Egyptian women, S3Geeks also aims to employ as many women as possible as S3Geeks ambassadors in the ten Upper Egyptian governorates. Three or four people are responsible for each governorate, and they are the link between the S3Geeks team and their governorate, organising various events within it.

S3Geeks also organises different events, the main one being the S3Geeks Train, an annual event including a full day of workshops. During this event, young technology enthusiasts talk on different subjects, including entrepreneurship and computers. The aim is to help young people in the Upper Egyptian governorates learn more about new technology and entrepreneurship. This year the train starts after the university examinations, and in cooperation with an online platform it will allow young people to place ads, find jobs, rent, sell and buy within their areas.

Anwar adds that all those involved are volunteers, as are the speakers at the different events. While they do not need large funds, they are trying to raise money to fund activities or help in cooperation with different partners. The group also covers events in cooperation with others, such as the Open IT Project in which participants use open-source software, and S3Geeks provides them with a place to conduct their sessions and advertise for them.

Anwar adds that one of the group’s aims is that all young people should be able to get information about such software and use it instead of commercial varieties.

S3Geeks’ activities also include the Aa’da Saeedi (Upper Egyptian Lounge), which hosts lectures about technological topics and is broadcast through YouTube. Malaksh 7Egga (You have no excuse) is another successful online activity. Anwar says that this aims to publish courses in different fields and expand a self-learning culture.

The new campaign has published more than 750 posts and more than five million people have been impacted by it. Many unemployed young people have benefited from it, Anwar says, showing that “you have no excuse for not learning.” S3Geeks Community is another platform on the S3Geeks Website that is dedicated to knowledge-sharing and community.

As the group celebrates its third year together it is launching an experimental S3Geeks radio. The group has achieved a great deal in only a little time and with almost no budget, the oldest person in it being a mere 27 years old. It seems to have many more successes ahead of it.