BREAKING NEWS

Cairo petrol station bucks trend and employs women

Filling up petrol in Cairo is no longer a task reserved exclusively for men.
A service station in an upscale neighbourhood of Cairo has for the first time hired women to work in what has been, until now, a male-dominated field.
"A lot of people applied for the job. We handpicked a few of them who we felt were qualified, as there were very specific job requirements. Some of these requirements were that the woman had to be serious about this job, that she had previous experience working with clients and customers, and we also had to contact their parents to make sure they approve of their daughter doing this job. She also has to be presentable and has the skill set necessary for this job," station manager, Mohamed Ibrahim, said.
Petrol station attendant is a common low-income job in Cairo. Each station employs between 10 and 20 attendants depending on its size and location.