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Dandarah

Brand · Retailer · Gift shop

- Our Story - The story of Dandarah started many years ago on the banks of the Nile river. As my sister and I were growing up in a multicultural household in Heliopolis (a neighborhood of Cairo with some beautiful architecture), our parents awakened in us a love for art and Egyptian crafts in all its forms. Among the things we learned to appreciate the most about art was how it's often rooted in the culture of the artists and tells the stories of the people and the land that inspire them. Egypt was an excellent learning ground for us because of the wealth and diversity of the art and craftsmanship present in that country. We learned to love the stories told by the art creations of some renowned artists like the architects Hassan Fathy and Ramses Wissa Wassef, and the sculptors Mahmoud Mokhtar and Hassan Heshmat. As well as by unknown artists and craftsmen who live in humble surroundings in Egyptian inner cities, rural villages or oases. The idea for Dandarah and our interest in launching a social enterprise was born when we moved to Canada some years ago. It was born from a desire to share beautifully handcrafted products beyond the boundaries of their home country and to empower artisans and sustain their age-old crafts.