From Passion to Impact: Eman Salem's Journey with "El-Sokkar Bara" Diabetics Campaign

Eman Salem, the visionary founder of the groundbreaking "El-Sokkar Bara - (Sugar Outside)" Campaign, has captured the hearts and minds of people around Egypt and the Arab world. Her outstanding campaign is based on raising awareness of diabetes and providing crucial support to those who suffer from this chronic illness. Salem's tireless efforts not only shed light on the challenges faced by individuals living with diabetes but also empower them to lead healthier lives. Co magazine had the privilege of delving deeper into the story behind “El-Sokkar Bara” and discovering the inspiration and impact that this remarkable initiative has had on countless lives. 

Join us as we uncover the journey of a compassionate activist making a significant difference in the fight against diabetes.

Welcome Eman, it’s a great honor to have this chance to learn more about you and your Campaign “El-Sokkar Bara”, would you mind letting us explore Eman and her journey from the beginning till now? 

I’m Eman Salem, 35 years old, a wife, and a mother of 2 kids. I studied sociology and worked in the field of E-marketing and public relations. I’ve been working since I was only 15. My desire to advance in my career started with radio training, followed by news and article preparation and organization, moving to work for reputable local news websites, and finally entering the public relations field at “Media Key” in Abu Dhabi Emirate and the "Journas" platform.

After that, I translated a Wikipedia page tackling the United Nations Training for Women (Her Story). Following that, I founded the "Adawatek - Your Tools" Platform which specializes in content creation for many sectors and crafts. During that time, we signed an MoU with the University Center for Career Development (UCCD), aiming to provide various training for students in Egyptian universities.

Following the COVID-19 crisis and the birth of my son, I enrolled in the training of Womenpreneur-Initiative and GIZ Egypt Women Empowerment, entrepreneurship, and business development. I was one of about 15 girls nationwide who passed many qualification tests. Later on, I launched the "El-Sokkar Bara" campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with diabetes in partnership with some of the major organizations and ministries in Egypt and the Arab World.

You are the founder of "El-Sokkar Barra" (Sugar Outside), the first platform dedicated to raising awareness of diabetes and its dangers. How did you come up with this idea, and when and why?

Well, the primary goal of the "El-Sokkar Bara" campaign is to help the diabetic community who were unable to receive necessary care and who mainly depend on charitable organizations for financial support in the form of donations or other sources. Therefore, our goal is to create a single community or platform where physicians and patients could come together, particularly for those who were unable to receive comprehensive care in one location. This would allow both sides to communicate with one another easily. Moreover, it gives experts a great chance to educate their patients about this illness and raise awareness regarding it. 

Besides, the concept of "El-Sokkar Bara" came to my mind in Ramadan 2023 while I was having a conversation with my friend Mr Awny Galal, who is also a diabetic. Our major objective was to publicize the campaign and work with a team of medical professionals, including Drs. Hany Naeem and Eslam Alshawaf, the endocrinology and diabetes consultants, and other medical professionals who help us at every turn. We have collaborated with civil society associations like Sofra Charity in Bahya and certain government agencies such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Solidarity, as well as the well-known media public figure Dr Nashwa Alrwainy, the Ambassador of "El-Sokkar Bara" Campaign, who also suffered previously from diabetes. Currently, we have become an integrated community where each member seeks to play a significant role in understanding the nature of diabetes and finding the best way to deal with it. 

And what were the most significant challenges you faced during working on launching this initiative?

The institutional thinking is different from ours. Regarding "El-Sokkar Bara" as a complete project and a comprehensive program for diabetics, through which we provide awareness, support, events, and partnerships, it is really hard to convince Egyptians of our campaign’s concept. However, we are still trying to establish a project with a steady income stream and a permanent objective without relying on donations and striving to provide solutions and assistance.

On the other side, the Egyptian regulations, specifically in the medical field, force us to follow a certain path. We were on the horns of a dilemma, whether to register as an organization or halt, which wasn't an option for me. Credit goes to people who believed in me, starting from the team, including Dr Tasnim Shabaan and Dr Sarah Hamad, to the entire team, as well as the amazing medical team, who are real influencers in their field. Maintaining their trust is very difficult, having me among them with jobs, goals and priorities other than mine.

"Al-Sokkar Bara" has received great support from government entities and is already backed by the Ministry of Health and Solidarity, as well as international organizations. What are the areas of collaboration between you and those entities, and what is the target plan for the campaign in the future?

The partnership between "El-Sokkar Bara" with Sofra Charity Foundation and many other institutions has supported us for a long time. The initiative may have started as a one-year program, but continuity was necessary, where we launched events under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Solidarity. Our upcoming plan could include activities like children's camps in Upper Egypt in collaboration with other organizations. Currently, "El-Sokkar Bara" exists as a separate entity in partnership with the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (EPSF) and the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), which allows us to continue collaborating with university students on various community awareness models.

On a side note, my priority is to establish a platform and a program for diabetics in the Arab world, under the title "El-Sokkar Bara", covering all related activities in Egypt and the Gulf, God willing, within a year from now.

"El-Sokkar Bara" has managed to have a significant impact on many celebrities, both in Egypt and abroad, and gained ambassadors in various countries. How has the initiative benefited from this and who are the most prominent celebrity supporters currently and in the future?  

The large number of cases in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the rest of the Arab Gulf countries and Morocco prompted us to form coordinators for the awareness campaign outside Egypt. We chose well-known celebrities who are trusted and have influence and credibility within these communities. Therefore, the presence of public figures and supporters is a very important element. It's better to announce the names along with their availability at the appropriate time, as there are specific arrangements involved.

In Jordan, KSA, Egypt, and the UAE, "Al-Sokkar Barra" was a huge success. What are the next steps and countries that the initiative plans to be present in, and how did you manage to spread it outside Egypt?

Currently, the most important and biggest goal is to establish a large entity and platform for a diabetes support program in the Arab Gulf region. This is a non-institutional effort, but it includes awareness campaigns, events, and a platform and application specifically for the diabetes program.

The initiative targets diabetics of all ages. What is the most important advice you can offer them? 

Our goal is to raise awareness about the complications of the disease around society and provide services in collaboration with organizations and companies to offer solutions to support diabetics. This includes working with decision-makers, creating awareness videos, and organizing specialized diabetes camps for children.

As healthy individuals, how can we better deal with and provide greater support to diabetics?

Awareness of the nature and seriousness of the disease is crucial, such as the potential impact on mental health at any time. Diabetes can also be a very costly condition and may lead to the patient becoming easily irritable. Furthermore, individuals with diabetes may experience discrimination, as it is often stigmatized. This stigma is particularly prevalent in many of the problems we observe, where diabetic women suffer from significant social stigma, such as delayed marriage or remaining unmarried, difficulties in conceiving or divorcing immediately upon diagnosis, or giving birth to a diabetic child. These circumstances can sometimes push them towards suicidal thoughts.

Children with diabetes can be more challenging to handle. What advice do you have for families with diabetic children, especially for parents, to help their children live with the disease?

I cannot offer advice to them because the best I can offer to diabetics’ parents is appreciation, respect, and admiration for their support towards their children. Specifically, mothers exert extraordinary efforts to ensure the well-being of their children, starting from their physical activities to monitoring blood sugar levels.

You will be travelling to Jordan soon. Is this visit a part of the initiative, or do you have other projects?

Our priority now is launching the "El-Sokkar Bara" Campaign in Jordan with our Ambassador Ghasa Saba. We are preparing for the activities of the first Forum in Jordan. To accommodate the initiative's nature, we are also making arrangements for the Forum edition with our coordinator in Tunisia, Dr. Khaled Bahgat. Our most significant milestone will be the official opening of our diabetes business in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition, we're gearing up for a marathon to benefit (Yalla Etharak – Come Move), a subsidiary project of "El-Sokkar Bara" that seeks to assist those with chronic illnesses throughout Egypt and the Arab World.

"El-Sokkar Bara" is a non-profit initiative and does not accept donations. How does it provide support to its members, and what are its funding sources?

Donations are not required when the issue is one of awareness! The initiative's events and activities which are subsidiary for businesses are not impossible by the sponsorships of each event, and working with other countries is handled through taxes and invoices, which makes it easier to hold our events both inside and outside of Egypt without having to solicit donations.

What are the participation requirements to become a member of the platform, and what roles can members, other than patients, play in supporting it?

Participation in the "El-Sokkar Bara" blog is open to all medical professionals across all specialities, pharmacists, licensed physicians, and academicians from all medical schools. We will soon announce several summertime services and events for patients in Egypt, including camps, kid-friendly days, and a support group for mothers, in partnership with worldwide diabetes-focused businesses. 

Eman is a wife and mother of two kids, in addition to various contributions in commercial companies and different activities, how could you able to achieve this challenging balance?

Family is the magic wand and the triangle is completed with the support of loyal friends. At the beginning of the initiative. I went through a lot of obstacles and challenges that I couldn’t understand the reason behind them, from different people. But in the end, those who support you are the close circle, and their faith in you provides you with all the courage. 

The greatest bet on success should be from the most significant person in your life, which is the husband or life partner. Khaled, my husband, was one of the most important people who believed in my unlimited ambition. He realized the great extent of this ambition and was able to employ it with me correctly. Khaled is the one who helped me many times to draw the initiative curve as well as Friends and family.

Who is your role model? And aside from work and community participation, what are your most important hobbies?

Honestly, I no longer believe in that word, lately I've been seeing that the most important role model for a person is to try to create a better image of themselves and embody it in their imagination, and try to reach it. It's true that we all make mistakes and have flaws, but the word "mentor" or "role model" I no longer believe in at all. This is not frustration, but a bit of realism. There is no mentor, but there is a person who tries to strive. I seek the best image for my inner faith first, then satisfaction with the outer form. 

Reading and writing, especially reflections, are my hobbies. I also used to walk a lot.

And what advice do you have for women to take positive steps in their personal and professional lives?

I tell every woman not to compare herself to any other one. The notion of comparison is unjust to all women. We are not all the same, and every woman has some advantages—both social and physical—that others might not. One woman might be perfectly happy as a homemaker, while another might be incredibly fulfilled as a worker woman. 

On the other side, there are no clear beauty standards, whether it's about skin colour, fillers, or Botox. It is unhealthy to strive to fit in with others' expectations, and it is worse to try to impress them. One of the biggest time-wasters for any woman is trying to please people with her appearance. If you feel beautiful and happy with all aspects of your inner and outer beauty, don't worry about anyone else. 

As for personal growth, we all fall short, no matter how hard we try to adjust our lives and improve our overall appearance. Please don't imagine that someone else is perfect and you are less because they don't show it. We are all imperfect, my dear, but do your best to be happy.

What is your dream for the "El-Sokkar Bara" platform, and for your personal life? 

On a personal level, I wish to perform the Hajj, which is the final of Islam's five pillars, it’s a great dream for me, and my significant wish is to see my kids happy adults and to follow the path of righteousness; material wealth is not more essential to me than that. 

Whether or not I live, Insha'Allah, I want "El-Sokkar Bara" to be the most significant business and comprehensive program for diabetics in the Arab world, serving as a symbol for all of them. I hope the campaign team follows up on my message and accomplishes our objective both inside and outside of Egypt.