Egypt Celebrates Eid Al-Fitr, Marking the End of Ramadan
As Muslims worldwide welcomed the Eid al-Fitr holiday, photojournalist Hamada Elrasam turned his lens to Cairo where communities sought relief in rituals, festivities, and causes, especially amid the country’s deepening economic crisis. Captions were written in collaboration with Elle Kurancid.
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Salma, a mother of three, searches through used shoes for a pair to wear during the holiday. “My kids are young, but they understand what it means to be poor,” she says, “like when they see other kids with new outfits for Eid.”
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For shoemaker Abu Yasser, business is slow this year, even though he’s been offering his handcrafted footwear for about half the price of other shops. “My customers are even bargaining down the cost of shoe repairs,” he says.
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Waffa, a single mother who lives with over a dozen family members, including nine children, combs her daughter Mariam’s hair as her nephews dress up in their new Eid outfits from a local charity.
![Hajj Mohamed, the owner of a sweets factory, says, “The current buying power is weak. My raw material costs [especially for sugar] have skyrocketed, and shoppers aren’t buying many gifts or thinking about family gatherings.”](https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0a00-0242-a554-08db44a6638c_cx0_cy8_cw0_w1024_q10_r1_s.jpg)
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Hajj Mohamed, the owner of a sweets factory, says, “The current buying power is weak. My raw material costs [especially for sugar] have skyrocketed, and shoppers aren’t buying many gifts or thinking about family gatherings.”