DONIA ASHRAF IS THE FIRST EGYPTIAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Determination and will are the foundation for success. Donia Ashraf the first girl that registered in mechanical engineering, and now she becomes a Mechanical trainer at the Naval Academy.

Donia Ashraf first Egyption mechanical engineer- credits: DMC Interview

Donia Ashraf’s family did not accept her registration in mechanical engineering on the basis that this field is limited to boys only and is very difficult for girls. She takes time to persuade her family to enter his world and then she works on herself to be qualified enough for the labor market.

Donia was in industrial secondary school but she was not with the idea because most of her family went to high school. This was served as a disappointment to her parents because she could not fulfill their desires due to her grades. She joined the industrial secondary school according to her passion for handmade work such as “clothing industry and simple things”.

She spent 3 years in the closing department in industrial secondary school and her grades were over 90%. After receiving this grade, she had the opportunity to enter a college of engineering but in Upper Egypt. Her parents refuse due to travel and that is what made her sit a year in the house and works in designing bags and boots. After Donia’s waiting to see if she had gotten into college. She realized that she had no choice but to go to the institute, which includes many departments such as “Mechanical, computer, civil and architecture”.

Credits: Nadin Hossam

Donia decided to register in it because she loved the civil department. After all, it was close to drawing and architecture and she went to Cairo and applied her papers and waited for entering the civil department. When she went to the institute to know her department, she suddenly found out that her name was registered in the auto mechanics Department. Donia said, "I was shocked, and I tried a lot to change the department that I joined. Indeed, I went to the coordinator to change the departments, and he explained to me that my score ranges between the Mechanics and the Computer science, but the Computer Department was completed and after many trying, I failed."

Donia faced many difficulties in studying the first semester, which was one of the most difficult semesters she went through according to her lack of knowledge about motors and mechanics. However, she managed to pass the semester with very high success.

Donia advised every girl saying, "If you have a dream that you think is difficult to achieve, or that community has not allowed you to achieve it, you should know that determination and will are the foundation upon which you build success."