💜 A meaningful social engagement
Egyptian actress Jessica Hossam took part in the closing ceremony of the program “Towards an Integrated Approach to Addressing Harmful Practices Against Girls in Egypt,” in an event that brought together artistic, governmental and international representatives as well as young participants.
The event provided an opportunity to highlight the experiences of girls and young people involved in the program, while also emphasizing awareness, empowerment and protection.
Jessica's participation attracted attention because of her direct interaction with girls and women from Upper Egypt, including singing together and exchanging supportive messages.
🎤 Jessica Hossam interacts with girls from Upper Egypt
During the event, Jessica interacted with several girls and women participating in the program.
She also shared moments from the gathering through Instagram Stories, including a message from one of the women who told her:
“We love you, we believe you, and we wish you would come to Assiut and Upper Egypt.”
Jessica responded warmly:
“I will definitely come.” ❤️
She later shared another moment of singing with the participating girls and wrote that she was very happy to have met them.
The interaction gave the event a personal and informal dimension beyond the official program activities.
🌷 Supporting girls and women's empowerment
Jessica's participation came as part of her engagement with social issues and initiatives supporting women and girls.
The closing ceremony was held in downtown Cairo and brought together representatives of international organizations, government institutions and young people who had participated in the program.
The participation of public figures can help bring social issues to wider audiences, particularly among younger generations who actively engage with social media.
🌍 A four-year program in Assiut and Sohag
The program was implemented from 2022 to 2026 in Assiut and Sohag, in cooperation between the National Council for Women, the Ministry of Health and Population, the United Nations Population Fund and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Egypt.
Its broader objectives included protecting girls, increasing awareness of their rights and strengthening their ability to build safer futures.
The program also focused on community awareness, youth engagement, reproductive health services and maternal care.
📊 Thousands benefited from the program
The program reached thousands of young people and community members during its four-year implementation period.
Reported figures included:
👧 7,917 girls benefiting from program activities.
👦 2,154 boys participating.
👩🏫 517 female facilitators trained.
👨🏫 147 male facilitators trained.
👥 36,163 people participating in community events and activities directed toward families.
These figures demonstrate that the program extended beyond direct work with girls to include families, young people and wider community networks.
🧩 Why community engagement matters
Addressing harmful practices affecting girls involves more than providing information to girls themselves.
Family attitudes, social norms, access to health services and community awareness can all influence the environment in which girls grow and make decisions.
For that reason, the program included community activities and facilitator training, creating opportunities for awareness to reach parents and other members of local communities.
💬 Empowerment can become more sustainable when girls have supportive environments around them and access to information and services.
🩺 Health awareness as part of empowerment
The program also connected awareness and protection with reproductive health and maternal care.
Access to reliable health information is an important component of helping adolescent girls and young women make informed decisions and seek appropriate services when needed.
This approach places girls' well-being within a broader framework involving health, education, social skills, participation and community support.
🎨 A visual and interactive closing ceremony
The closing event featured a visual and audio presentation highlighting the program's achievements throughout its four-year implementation.
Rather than focusing exclusively on formal presentations, the event also provided opportunities for interaction among young participants and guests.
Jessica's singing and conversations with girls from Upper Egypt became one of the more personal moments of the event.
📱 By sharing these moments on Instagram, the actress also helped extend the conversation beyond the physical venue.
👩🎤 The role of artists in social awareness
Artists can reach audiences that may not regularly engage with institutional awareness campaigns.
Jessica's participation placed a familiar entertainment figure within a social event focused on girls' protection and empowerment.
Her direct engagement with participants also made the experience more personal, allowing the social message to appear through conversation, music and human interaction.
💌 “We wish you would come to Upper Egypt”
One of the most memorable exchanges came through a message from a woman who told Jessica that they loved her, believed her and wished she would visit Assiut and Upper Egypt.
Jessica's response, “I will definitely come,” created a warm moment that was later shared with her followers.
🌸 The exchange showed how social media can extend a real-life encounter and allow the participants' voices to reach a much wider audience.
✨ Four years of work and what comes next
The conclusion of the program marks the end of a four-year implementation period, but awareness around girls' rights and protection remains an ongoing social issue.
The program's reported reach—including thousands of girls and boys, trained facilitators and tens of thousands of community participants—illustrates the scale of its activities.
Sustaining awareness requires continued engagement from families, young people, institutions, health services, civil society, media and cultural figures.
🌟 Jessica Hossam beyond the screen
While Jessica Hossam is primarily known to audiences through her acting work, her participation in the closing event highlighted another dimension of her public presence.
Through music, conversation and social media messages, a simple interaction with girls from Upper Egypt became part of a broader conversation about awareness, empowerment and protection.
💜 At the center of the event were the girls themselves—their voices, experiences and desire to participate and remain connected.
From “I’m so happy I met you” to “I’ll definitely come,” Jessica Hossam's participation became a warm message of connection with girls from Upper Egypt at the conclusion of a four-year program supporting girls' protection and empowerment. ✨
