Vodafone Egypt Chairman: Share a Smile Sets a Distinctive Model for Youth-Driven Community Impact
Hany Mahmoud, Chairman of Vodafone Egypt, stated that Share a Smile represents a distinctive and impactful model of community work in Egypt. He noted that the foundation has created tangible social value through a clear vision and an operational framework built on five core pillars that set it apart from other entities in the corporate social responsibility landscape.
Speaking at the foundation’s charity suhoor event on Sunday, Mahmoud emphasized that youth constitute the backbone of the organization. With an average team age of 23, the foundation places significant trust in young leaders, enabling innovation, agility, and effective execution across its initiatives.
He highlighted that volunteerism within Share a Smile is not merely a slogan but a deeply rooted practice. The foundation has built a sustainable volunteering model, reflected in the steady annual increase in volunteers, reaching nearly 50,000 this year. He pointed to Ramadan food distribution efforts—fully organized and executed by volunteers—as evidence of commitment, belonging, and the genuine sense of fulfillment participants derive from impacting thousands of lives.
Mahmoud also addressed the diversity of the foundation’s activities. While he initially believed the organization should focus on one or two areas upon joining its board of trustees, experience proved its capacity to manage multiple initiatives with equal efficiency and value. These include orphan support, daily meal distribution throughout the year, food package distribution, and clean drinking water projects in underserved villages—initiatives that directly enhance public health by improving access to safe water and sanitation.
Over the past year, Share a Smile distributed 300,000 hot meals, including 160,000 during Ramadan alone—figures that demonstrate the scale and organizational strength of its operations, a level of impact not commonly achieved by similar organizations.
Mahmoud also praised Nagwa El Assy, founder of Share a Smile, describing her as the driving force behind the foundation’s success. He credited her passion for volunteerism and human solidarity with shaping a strong institutional culture that permeates the entire team.
He concluded by affirming that the Share a Smile experience proves that ambitious youth, a clear vision, genuine volunteer spirit, and inspiring leadership can collectively drive meaningful and sustainable social change.