Egypt’s desire to eradicate slums leaves residents displaced
The Egyptian government has relocated dozens of families from the Manshiyet Nasr area after a rockslide, on the pretext that their houses are too damaged, while in reality the government is on a quest to develop Cairo’s slum areas.
CAIRO — Eighteen months behind in rent and unable to pay utility bills, Amr is waiting for the day he is evicted from his apartment — again.
Until four years ago, Amr, 71, was able to make a meager living from his pension of 310 Egyptian pounds ($17.50) and selling clothing materials from his shop in the Razzaz area of the Manshiyet Nasr suburb in southeast Cairo, where he had lived for 40 years.
But the government relocated him to Al-Asmarat compound in the Mokattam neighborhood of Cairo, over 10 kilometers (6 miles) from his home, because the apartment block he lived in was deemed unsafe and demolished in 2015. Initially, neighbors housed him in Manshiyet Nasr before public housing was provided in 2016.
Most days, he commutes back to Manshiyet Nasr from the compound to work in his shop, but the round trip costs him 20 Egyptian pounds ($1.15), a significant amount for the pension he receives and made even more difficult because he relies on crutches to walk.
