İBTÎSAM EXFÎR

Benghazi- In recent years, the number of women learning and teaching how to drive a car has been increasing. Women, who lost their fathers, husbands, and brothers due to ongoing conflicts in the country, want to become taxi drivers to make a living.  El-Cehm Driving School owner Mona El-Kabyly is also a driving instructor and taxi driver.

Mona El-Kabyly has worked as a driving instructor for 14 years. “When I told people I wanted to be a driving instructor, they were shocked. But, I was determined to be a driving instructor and I learned how to drive in a short time. Then, I began to work for a driving school to teach women how to drive. My family, particularly my mother and aunt, supported me in my journey,” said Mona El-Kabyly, who kept working for a driving school until she started her own driving school in Benghazi. Her family materially and spiritually supported her for her school called “Cismi”.

She teaches women how to be a driving instructor

Talking about how her profession is difficult, Mona El-Kabyly told us the new generation doesn’t like the idea of female drivers. “A driving instructor should be patient and feel confident. When a driving instructor feels confident, the students also feel confident.” The female drivers have faced insults many times, “but this situation does not affect female drivers and we will never let them be affected,” Mona El-Kabyly told us.

She encourages women

Mona El-Kabyly is also a taxi driver due to economic reasons, “People who know me call me when they need a taxi. I have worked as a taxi driver for about five months. But I prefer to teach driving. The number of female taxi drivers is increasing in Benghazi. I encourage them to be a taxi driver.”