Carving her name on hearts before poetry, her legacy is etched in the hearts and minds of people and the accomplishments they will always remember her with.
Evelyne Porret, founder of pottery schools in Tunis village in Fayoum governorate, passed away yesterday evening at the age of 82, leaving behind her a great legacy, a village she made with a family she chose.
Porret had come on a trip more than 45 years ago with her husband, the poet Sayed Ragab, to a village near Lake Qarun. She admired everything about this small green village, which back then had few little houses and quite a welcoming atmosphere. She decided to live there for the rest of her life and dedicate herself to teaching the villagers everything about the art of pottery, to create the first pottery school in Egypt.
Porret, the Swiss artist, also believed in empowering other women, made special courses for women to learn about pottery and handcrafting skills. She also encouraged them to participate in national and international festivals.
She didn’t go to Tunis village to build a religious temple, instead she built heritage, revived the origins of the villagers and taught them a profession that they could earn money from. She rose with the obscure village to global recognition, which is a form of great worship.
Watch the official Tunis Village Facebook Page farewell video for Evelyne.
We shall always remember that Tunis village has turned from a small, average village to one of the most popular manufacturers of ceramics and pottery in Egypt because of her.
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