Nadia Gamal El-Din

Meet Rahet Bally’s Influential Founder & CEO

Nadia Gamal El-Din is a story on her own: She has been awarded by the Egyptian prime minister among the top 50 Influential Women in Egypt. She even managed to achieve international recognition as she was ranked among the top seven influential women in the world by Cartier Institution. Nadia’s efforts have transformed thousands of lives physically and mentally through her platform, Rahet Bally (My Peace of Mind). Christina Aziz had a tête-à-tête with the accomplished lady about the amazing story and achievements of Rahet Bally.

Give us a brief idea about Rahet Bally’s mission? And what prompted you to establish it in the first place?

When I became a mother at the age of 24, I realized there was a huge market gap when it comes to supporting new moms. Even though motherhood is one of the oldest professions, with all these ever-growing online chunks of information, in this fast-paced world, there wasn’t a single comprehensive, tailored support system for new moms in Egypt. This was the decisive shift moment when I realized that change was needed. This was the moment when Rahet Bally was born. Rahet Bally—which translates to “peace of mind” in Arabic—was born in August 2015, shortly my son was born. 

As of early 2021, more than 16 million women in Egypt have been connected to Rahet Bally’s services, which encompass financial, physical, intellectual, and social support. The Rahet Bally discount card helps offset the costs of essential baby items such as clothes, diapers, and healthcare, which can be prohibitive. For physical support, the company offers fitness and nutrition programs in three Cairo- based facilities. And Rahet Bally’s online community provides the information that women need to become confident mothers. 

Tell us about how Rahet Bally supports working mothers in particular?

Rahet Bally supports all mothers, including its employees. The company has an all-female staff. This is unusual in Egypt, where it is hard to find women accountants and technicians. We have almost 100 women working full time in the company divided between our headquarters and our other locations. The company is mother-friendly, too. Employees can work from home at any time and take advantage of flexible maternity leave, making it possible for mothers to get a decent job with a market-competitive salary. 

What made you choose the name ‘Rahet Bally’?

I wanted to deliver much deserved, needed “peace of mind” to all moms of Egypt because they need it the most. I wanted them to feel at peace the moment they hear our brand’s name, and I wanted them to be reassured that we’ve got their backs every day. 

You started by gathering physicians specified in all fields related to children to be available on your platform. How did you manage to persuade them to volunteer and be available 24/7 for mums?

This happened because of God’s blessing. I went and visited hundreds of doctors and paid the fees as a patient. Then, I used to pitch my business idea, and they would immediately confirm joining! They were inspired by my determination and mission as they felt how genuine I was and were excited to build this with me.

How many women do you have now on your platform? 

We now serve an average of 16 million moms every month across our platforms and on-ground facilities.

What challenges did your business face or is facing?

We face many challenges like all women who try to make a change in the world. But the latest challenge would be the pandemic where we shut all our facilities for an entire year. Thankfully, we managed to pivot and offer our services online. Now, we’re gradually re-opening our on-ground facilities to serve all the moms that need us well.

May you tell us about the varied services that you provide for new mothers?

.Financial support through The Rahet Bally Card & Application: granting moms instant discounts on over 3,000 stores and services for herself and her children, all year long. This allows moms to afford a better quality of life for their children and feel less stressed and more empowered.

.Intellectual Support through Moms Mag by Rahet Bally: providing comprehensive, rich, relevant, timely, local, and regional online content for mothers in both Arabic and English languages through our website (www.momsmag.rahetbally.com). This allows moms to master motherhood and have a healthy relationship with all members of the family.

.Emotional and Social Support through Rahet Bally’s Online Platforms: Creating a drama-free, supportive community of moms who share the same interests and social backgrounds. We connect moms with relevant, trusted doctors and experts to instantly reply to their inquiries. We help moms organize play dates and social events with other moms going through the same phase. This enables moms to gain positivity and togetherness.

.Physical Support through Rahet Bally’s Fitness & Nutrition Programs: Offering a diverse tailored range of fitness and nutrition programs for pregnant, new moms, and grandmas supported by free babysitting services, kids’ activities, certified coaches, and nutritionists.

.Social Support through The Cloud by Rahet Bally: Introducing a guilt-free world, full of value-added activities. It is a place where moms perform their social and physical activities, attend workshops, and take care of their well-being while resting assured that their little ones are having a wonderful time in the hands of professional and qualified babysitters within a fun, safe, and clean environment.

In 2020, you surfaced as one of the highly seven influential women according to Cartier Initiative. What made you eligible to achieve this international award? And did the initiative help promote your business? 

It took over 6 months of really hard work, interviews, and pitches. Cartier sent a due diligence team from all over the world to Cairo to interview our team members, visit all our facilities, and meet lots of our customers to determine that we deserve to be labelled as the most impactful women-led business in the entire MENA region. This win was truly phenomenal, and we were featured in the biggest media portals of the world. We got massive international exposure, and it did help promote our brand big time. We’re eternally grateful for the opportunity as we’ve learnt a lot throughout the process.

You created a club dedicated to mums who want to enjoy themselves and take a break from the hardships of the day. Can you walk us through a typical day in your club?

Rahet Bally’s newest offering, the Cloud, is a physical space where mothers can rest in napping pods, conduct business in work pods, attend workshops, socialize, and join book clubs while vetted babysitters care for their children. Moms feel jazzed when they come in because it’s the first time anyone is taking care of them. They can have a shower. They can drink a cup of coffee and get a break from their daily hectic life. It’s a place where they can breathe again. The Cloud by Rahet Bally is the world’s first complex for moms, offering all moms across Cairo a 360 effortless motherhood experience, from the moment they step in the place. The experts take the children to a world of motor-skill activities, new-born rooms, a massive outdoor playground, 100,000 pieces of Lego stations, and more. The moms then take a deep breath and start enjoying life, they can work out in the gym and the first CrossFit functional arena for moms in the MENA region, work in The Cloud’s working capsules, indulge in a heavenly meal, meet their friends, attend value-adding workshops, join a book club, enjoy the sun outdoors, or just relax and chill with The Cloud’s extravagant wellness services. The Cloud is in El Moshir Tantawy Axis, right next to the Stadium, 5 minutes from Cairo Festival City, 10 minutes from Mokattam, 10 minutes from Zahraa el Maadi, and 15 minutes from Heliopolis and Nasr City. The Cloud is a female-only destination where women can enjoy absolute freedom both outdoors and indoors, with no one overlooking them. The Cloud has received many international and national awards, including an award from Cartier Women’s Initiative, Architecture design, and many more.

How do you help pregnant women get ready for giving birth?

The Rahet Bally Pregnancy program gives all pregnant woman a healthy pregnancy journey from their second trimester to their delivery date with our huge team of pre-natal experts, coaches, nutritionists, and childbirth educators. Powered by Free babysitting services, a massive playground, and kids’ activities. After the delivery, the Rahet Bally Fit Mama program helps moms get back in shape with a super experienced certified team of coaches and nutritionists who give moms multiple morning and night sessions to suit stay-at-home mamas and working mamas. We also provide women with physiotherapy programs.

What is the hardest thing about raising children?

Never being care-free again and working 24/7. It is not easy, but it is worth every minute.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be and why?

I would wish to have my Rahet Bally HQ and Rahet Bally’s on-ground facilities closer to home to reduce my daily hours of commuting.

Tell us about your fondest moments with your child. And what do you like the most about being a mother?

My fondest moments would be the moment he wakes up every morning. I squeeze him so tight and give him a myriad of kisses! It makes my world worthwhile! I love being a mother, in every sense of the word. I feel so blessed to have a chance to raise a human being, shape his values, and work hard every day hoping he’ll grow up to be everything I dream he’d be. He’s my biggest blessing and I enjoy every moment I spend with him.

What lessons do you most recall learning from your parents or grandparents?

My grandmother always tells me that change is the only constant thing in life and that a day without a problem to solve is useless. Those two lessons changed my mindset and my reactions to everything in life.

What is your baby’s most favourite food?

Rice and Molokheya (Green Soup)

What is your favourite hobby?

Self-Development through reading, workshops, panels, and valuable conversations.

The best movie that you always enjoy watching?

The Holiday

Give us a brief idea about Rahet Bally’s mission? And what prompted you to establish it in the first place?

When I became a mother at the age of 24, I realized there was a huge market gap when it comes to supporting new moms. Even though motherhood is one of the oldest professions, with all these ever-growing online chunks of information, in this fast-paced world, there wasn’t a single comprehensive, tailored support system for new moms in Egypt. This was the decisive shift moment when I realized that change was needed. This was the moment when Rahet Bally was born. Rahet Bally—which translates to “peace of mind” in Arabic—was born in August 2015, shortly my son was born. 

As of early 2021, more than 16 million women in Egypt have been connected to Rahet Bally’s services, which encompass financial, physical, intellectual, and social support. The Rahet Bally discount card helps offset the costs of essential baby items such as clothes, diapers, and healthcare, which can be prohibitive. For physical support, the company offers fitness and nutrition programs in three Cairo- based facilities. And Rahet Bally’s online community provides the information that women need to become confident mothers. 

Tell us about how Rahet Bally supports working mothers in particular?

Rahet Bally supports all mothers, including its employees. The company has an all-female staff. This is unusual in Egypt, where it is hard to find women accountants and technicians. We have almost 100 women working full time in the company divided between our headquarters and our other locations. The company is mother-friendly, too. Employees can work from home at any time and take advantage of flexible maternity leave, making it possible for mothers to get a decent job with a market-competitive salary. 

What made you choose the name ‘Rahet Bally’?

I wanted to deliver much deserved, needed “peace of mind” to all moms of Egypt because they need it the most. I wanted them to feel at peace the moment they hear our brand’s name, and I wanted them to be reassured that we’ve got their backs every day. 

You started by gathering physicians specified in all fields related to children to be available on your platform. How did you manage to persuade them to volunteer and be available 24/7 for mums?

This happened because of God’s blessing. I went and visited hundreds of doctors and paid the fees as a patient. Then, I used to pitch my business idea, and they would immediately confirm joining! They were inspired by my determination and mission as they felt how genuine I was and were excited to build this with me.

How many women do you have now on your platform? 

We now serve an average of 16 million moms every month across our platforms and on-ground facilities.

What challenges did your business face or is facing?

We face many challenges like all women who try to make a change in the world. But the latest challenge would be the pandemic where we shut all our facilities for an entire year. Thankfully, we managed to pivot and offer our services online. Now, we’re gradually re-opening our on-ground facilities to serve all the moms that need us well.

May you tell us about the varied services that you provide for new mothers?

.Financial support through The Rahet Bally Card & Application: granting moms instant discounts on over 3,000 stores and services for herself and her children, all year long. This allows moms to afford a better quality of life for their children and feel less stressed and more empowered.

.Intellectual Support through Moms Mag by Rahet Bally: providing comprehensive, rich, relevant, timely, local, and regional online content for mothers in both Arabic and English languages through our website (www.momsmag.rahetbally.com). This allows moms to master motherhood and have a healthy relationship with all members of the family.

.Emotional and Social Support through Rahet Bally’s Online Platforms: Creating a drama-free, supportive community of moms who share the same interests and social backgrounds. We connect moms with relevant, trusted doctors and experts to instantly reply to their inquiries. We help moms organize play dates and social events with other moms going through the same phase. This enables moms to gain positivity and togetherness.

.Physical Support through Rahet Bally’s Fitness & Nutrition Programs: Offering a diverse tailored range of fitness and nutrition programs for pregnant, new moms, and grandmas supported by free babysitting services, kids’ activities, certified coaches, and nutritionists.

.Social Support through The Cloud by Rahet Bally: Introducing a guilt-free world, full of value-added activities. It is a place where moms perform their social and physical activities, attend workshops, and take care of their well-being while resting assured that their little ones are having a wonderful time in the hands of professional and qualified babysitters within a fun, safe, and clean environment.

In 2020, you surfaced as one of the highly seven influential women according to Cartier Initiative. What made you eligible to achieve this international award? And did the initiative help promote your business? 

It took over 6 months of really hard work, interviews, and pitches. Cartier sent a due diligence team from all over the world to Cairo to interview our team members, visit all our facilities, and meet lots of our customers to determine that we deserve to be labelled as the most impactful women-led business in the entire MENA region. This win was truly phenomenal, and we were featured in the biggest media portals of the world. We got massive international exposure, and it did help promote our brand big time. We’re eternally grateful for the opportunity as we’ve learnt a lot throughout the process.

You created a club dedicated to mums who want to enjoy themselves and take a break from the hardships of the day. Can you walk us through a typical day in your club?

Rahet Bally’s newest offering, the Cloud, is a physical space where mothers can rest in napping pods, conduct business in work pods, attend workshops, socialize, and join book clubs while vetted babysitters care for their children. Moms feel jazzed when they come in because it’s the first time anyone is taking care of them. They can have a shower. They can drink a cup of coffee and get a break from their daily hectic life. It’s a place where they can breathe again. The Cloud by Rahet Bally is the world’s first complex for moms, offering all moms across Cairo a 360 effortless motherhood experience, from the moment they step in the place. The experts take the children to a world of motor-skill activities, new-born rooms, a massive outdoor playground, 100,000 pieces of Lego stations, and more. The moms then take a deep breath and start enjoying life, they can work out in the gym and the first CrossFit functional arena for moms in the MENA region, work in The Cloud’s working capsules, indulge in a heavenly meal, meet their friends, attend value-adding workshops, join a book club, enjoy the sun outdoors, or just relax and chill with The Cloud’s extravagant wellness services. The Cloud is in El Moshir Tantawy Axis, right next to the Stadium, 5 minutes from Cairo Festival City, 10 minutes from Mokattam, 10 minutes from Zahraa el Maadi, and 15 minutes from Heliopolis and Nasr City. The Cloud is a female-only destination where women can enjoy absolute freedom both outdoors and indoors, with no one overlooking them. The Cloud has received many international and national awards, including an award from Cartier Women’s Initiative, Architecture design, and many more.

How do you help pregnant women get ready for giving birth?

The Rahet Bally Pregnancy program gives all pregnant woman a healthy pregnancy journey from their second trimester to their delivery date with our huge team of pre-natal experts, coaches, nutritionists, and childbirth educators. Powered by Free babysitting services, a massive playground, and kids’ activities. After the delivery, the Rahet Bally Fit Mama program helps moms get back in shape with a super experienced certified team of coaches and nutritionists who give moms multiple morning and night sessions to suit stay-at-home mamas and working mamas. We also provide women with physiotherapy programs.

What is the hardest thing about raising children?

Never being care-free again and working 24/7. It is not easy, but it is worth every minute.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be and why?

I would wish to have my Rahet Bally HQ and Rahet Bally’s on-ground facilities closer to home to reduce my daily hours of commuting.

Tell us about your fondest moments with your child. And what do you like the most about being a mother?

My fondest moments would be the moment he wakes up every morning. I squeeze him so tight and give him a myriad of kisses! It makes my world worthwhile! I love being a mother, in every sense of the word. I feel so blessed to have a chance to raise a human being, shape his values, and work hard every day hoping he’ll grow up to be everything I dream he’d be. He’s my biggest blessing and I enjoy every moment I spend with him.

What lessons do you most recall learning from your parents or grandparents?

My grandmother always tells me that change is the only constant thing in life and that a day without a problem to solve is useless. Those two lessons changed my mindset and my reactions to everything in life.

Q&A

What is your baby’s most favourite food?

Rice and Molokheya (Green Soup)

What is your favourite hobby?

Self-Development through reading, workshops, panels, and valuable conversations.

The best movie that you always enjoy watching?

The Holiday

“My grandmother always tells me that change is the only constant thing in life and that a day without a problem to solve is useless. Those two lessons changed my mindset and my reactions to everything in life.”