Here, The Doors Do Not Know Me
Mohamed Mahdy | Egypt
In a fishing village a woman sits under the tree she planted in front of her house, reading the Quran as the birds gather around her, remembering the house she built with her husband for just 25 EGP. She remembers that he was so kind, filling the holes with papers so the cold wind couldn’t enter, covering her with plastic bags to warm her every morning.
It was heaven there, but this house no longer exists now. It's just a memory.
This village is a community of fishers around the Mahmoodiyah canal in the Al max neighborhoods in Alexandria, Egypt, near my home. Once called the Middle East’s Venice, I passed by it every day on my way home when I first started photography. It was one of the most attractive locations for amateur photographers to practice because of the beautiful landscape, ancient culture, and friendly people.
One day residents woke up to the news that they had to leave their houses, their history, and possibly their lives as fishers. It led me to wonder: What does a home mean? What does displacement mean? And how does it feel just waiting for something to come and change your life forever?
Here, The Doors Don’t Know Me is a long-term project that aims to amplify the voice of this community, half of whom have been displaced so far, and will soon be published as a website resource. From 2016 to 2021, I collaborated with the residents to document their lives in photographs, as they wrote “last letters” about the homes they were losing. In writing their letters and sharing their memories, struggles, and dreams, we dedicate this project to building awareness and community about what is happening.
“My work started to change along with my thinking during this fellowship…I learned how to better respect and protect the people I photograph. It’s a big responsibility that we should always have in mind. ”
This work was made possible thanks to the protagonists, as they are the main storyteller in every story, and by the work of fixer and researcher Hemida Said. Many thanks to everyone involved in the making of this project.