• Houseboat owner Ikhlas Helmy, 88, sits in the bedroom of her houseboat. A government push to remove houseboats from Cairo’s Nile banks has cut the number from several dozen to just a handful. All photos by AP
    Houseboat owner Ikhlas Helmy, 88, sits in the bedroom of her houseboat. A government push to remove houseboats from Cairo’s Nile banks has cut the number from several dozen to just a handful. All photos by AP
  • Geese raised by Ms Helmy stand next to her houseboat. She faces eviction and her boat being moved or demolished.
    Geese raised by Ms Helmy stand next to her houseboat. She faces eviction and her boat being moved or demolished.
  • The tradition of living on the Nile River dates back to the 1800s.
    The tradition of living on the Nile River dates back to the 1800s.
  • Ms Helmy at the entrance of her houseboat. The removal of the boats has drawn criticism in Egypt.
    Ms Helmy at the entrance of her houseboat. The removal of the boats has drawn criticism in Egypt.
  • An old family photo in Ms Helmy's houseboat.
    An old family photo in Ms Helmy's houseboat.
  • A partially demolished houseboat in Cairo.
    A partially demolished houseboat in Cairo.
  • The government says it plans to develop the waterfront.
    The government says it plans to develop the waterfront.
  • Critics say the houseboat removals are part of a series of development decisions by the government of Abdel Fattah El Sisi that endanger the city’s heritage.
    Critics say the houseboat removals are part of a series of development decisions by the government of Abdel Fattah El Sisi that endanger the city’s heritage.
  • Ikhlas Helmy, an 88-year-old owner of a houseboat in Cairo, Egypt, sits on the veranda on June 27, 2022. A government push to remove the string of houseboats from Cairo’s Nile banks has dwindled their numbers from a several dozen to just a handful. Helmy stands to evicted, and the boat moved or demolished. The tradition of living on the Nile River dates back to the 1800s, and the removal of the boats has drawn criticism in Egypt. The government says it plans to develop the waterfront. (AP Photo / Tarek Wagih)
    Ikhlas Helmy, an 88-year-old owner of a houseboat in Cairo, Egypt, sits on the veranda on June 27, 2022. A government push to remove the string of houseboats from Cairo’s Nile banks has dwindled their numbers from a several dozen to just a handful. Helmy stands to evicted, and the boat moved or demolished. The tradition of living on the Nile River dates back to the 1800s, and the removal of the boats has drawn criticism in Egypt. The government says it plans to develop the waterfront. (AP Photo / Tarek Wagih)
  • She cannot imagine life elsewhere and has tried to get a new license for her houseboat — her home of the past 25 years — but was told it couldn’t be renewed.
    She cannot imagine life elsewhere and has tried to get a new license for her houseboat — her home of the past 25 years — but was told it couldn’t be renewed.

MENA

Egypt

Cairo houseboat owner aged 88 faces eviction - in pictures

After being featured in a number of media reports, Ikhlas Helmy’s case has caused some outcry

The National

July 07, 2022

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Updated: July 07, 2022, 12:41 PM
EgyptPhotography