September 11, 2026
Alexandra Kinias

For Sarah Sedky, dyslexia is personal. Diagnosed as a child, she grew up in Egypt struggling with reading, spelling, memory and other challenges, often without the understanding or support she needed.

Everything changed when her family moved to Dubai. For the first time, Sarah received specialised support at school and learned tools that helped her understand and manage her dyslexia. When she returned to Egypt, she realised how difficult it was for others to access the same kind of support.

That experience stayed with her. In 2019, after graduating in Fine Art from the University of Brighton, Sarah founded Dyslexic Community Worldwide (DCW), a platform dedicated to raising awareness about dyslexia in Egypt and across the MENA region.

Today, DCW brings together dyslexic individuals, parents, teachers and educators through resources, workshops, consultations and shared experiences. Sarah’s message is clear: dyslexia is a learning difficulty, not a measure of intelligence or potential.

In this interview, Sarah shares her personal journey, the challenges of growing up dyslexic in Egypt, and her mission to replace stigma and misunderstanding with awareness, support and a greater recognition of the strengths that can come with thinking differently.

WOE: What was it like growing up knowing you were dyslexic? Was there a particular moment when you felt that being dyslexic made you “different” from other children, and how did that shape the way you saw yourself?

Sarah Sedky: Growing up dyslexic was difficult, especially because I didn’t fully understand what dyslexia meant until I moved to Dubai when I was 9. So I spent the first 8 years of my life feeling like I was different and less capable than everyone else around me. I was often bullied by my teachers and classmates, so going to school was very hard for me.

I remember one specific moment where I knew I was different, but unfortunately during that time I was labelled as the “stupid kid” in class. It was during a quiz in grade 2 or 3 and I had to write the word “dog,” but instead I wrote “bog.” The teacher took my paper and announced the mistake in front of the whole class and everyone laughed. She then had me sit at the back of the class on a table by myself while everyone else was sitting in pairs at each table. That was a very embarrassing moment for me.

Sadly, when everyone around you labels you as stupid and dumb, and during parents’ meetings teachers call you lazy, eventually you start to believe it. So I was struggling with my education, but I was also struggling with my self-esteem, confidence and mental wellbeing, because at the time I believed that I was all of those things.

WOE: How important is family support when a child has dyslexia, and what can parents and families do to help them feel confident and supported?

Sarah Sedky: I believe family support is extremely important. In my case, I spent the first 8 years of my life being told that I am lazy, not trying hard enough or not as intelligent as my classmates. If my parents had just listened to my teachers, I would’ve not only struggled at school but also at home. Thankfully, my parents did their own research and understood what dyslexia was and how to handle it. It took my father a little bit longer to accept and understand it, but when he did, he recognised that I needed support and both my parents made sure I received it, and a big part of our move to Dubai was because they found a school that could support my dyslexia.

In my work, I always encourage parents to focus on their child’s strengths rather than only focusing on what they struggle with. Celebrate their progress, listen to them, be patient and remind them that needing additional support does not make them less capable. I also think it is important for parents to educate themselves about dyslexia, because understanding what their child is experiencing makes it much easier to provide the right support.

WOE: What early signs might indicate that a child could have dyslexia, and when should parents consider seeking professional support?

Sarah Sedky: There are a number of early signs that parents can look out for, although having one or two of these signs does not necessarily mean that a child has dyslexia. But if they notice several signs, I would advise them to seek professional advice and consider having an assessment done, as dyslexia can be identified from an early age. Some children may have difficulty recognising or remembering letters and sounds, learning to read, spelling, remembering sequences, or understanding the relationship between letters and sounds. Some children may also struggle with things such as rhyming, following instructions or processing information. It’s important to remember that every dyslexic is different and they don’t all have the same difficulties.

In my case, my mother noticed signs when I was around 4 years old, but because dyslexia was not well known and the teachers at school and my father were not convinced there was such a thing as dyslexia, it delayed the process of me getting assessed, which is why I was only officially diagnosed at the age of 7/8.

I would encourage parents to seek professional advice if they notice that their child is consistently struggling at school, especially if the difficulties they are experiencing are affecting their confidence or their ability to participate in school. It is always better to ask questions and seek guidance early rather than waiting and hoping that the difficulties will simply disappear. Dyslexia is lifelong, but with the right support, children can learn strategies to manage and work through the difficulties that they experience.

WOE: What advice would you give to parents who suspect their child may have dyslexia, especially when they don’t know where to seek support?

Sarah Sedky: The first thing I would say is, don’t panic. Dyslexia is not caused by a lack of effort, poor parenting or low intelligence. Dyslexia is a very common learning difficulty, and it affects people across different backgrounds and levels of ability.

I would encourage parents to speak to their child’s school and ask whether they have a learning support or learning difficulties department. If they have a department, I would ask them to have an assessment done with the school; if not, then I would advise them to have an assessment done at a private centre. Most importantly, the assessment should be carried out by a qualified learning difficulty specialist and, where necessary, meet the requirements of the relevant educational authorities or school so that appropriate accommodations can be considered. These may include accommodations such as extra time in exams, a separate room, a scribe and other appropriate adjustments, depending on the student’s individual needs. An assessment can also help parents understand their child’s strengths and difficulties and what kind of support they may need, at school and at home.

I also encourage parents to educate themselves. There is so much information available today, including online resources and communities. And there are so many dyslexic role models all around the world, which is very beneficial when explaining what dyslexia is to your child. For parents who genuinely do not know where to start, this is also one of the reasons I created DCW. Through my consultations, I am able to speak with parents and help guide them towards understanding their child’s difficulties and exploring the appropriate next steps. And I speak to them as someone who has had first-hand experience in Egypt dealing with dyslexia.

WOE: What are the biggest misconceptions about dyslexia that you still encounter in Egypt and the MENA region, and what do you wish more people understood?

Sarah Sedky: There are so many misconceptions, but one of the biggest is that dyslexia means low intelligence. I hear this quite often even today, and I think it is one of the most damaging misconceptions. I also still hear people describe dyslexia as something that only affects children, or as something that a child will simply grow out of. Dyslexia is lifelong. The difficulties can change over time, and people learn strategies to manage them, but being dyslexic does not disappear.

There is also still a stigma around dyslexia in parts of the MENA region, where some families are afraid of their child being labelled or judged. I have spoken to many people who are comfortable sharing their experiences with me privately but do not want to share them publicly out of fear of being labelled. And this is something I personally dealt with as well. My father struggled to understand and accept my dyslexia for several years; it was only when we moved to Dubai that my learning support teachers spoke with him and truly helped him understand what dyslexia is.

With the right support, understanding and environment, dyslexic individuals can be extremely successful. We should not be asking, “What can’t this child do?” but rather, “What does this child need in order to succeed?”

WOE: What changes do you believe are most urgently needed in Egyptian schools to better support students with dyslexia and other learning differences?

Sarah Sedky: I think one of the biggest changes needed is greater awareness and understanding among teachers and schools. Teachers are often the first people to notice that a child is struggling, so they need to be equipped with the knowledge to recognise the common signs of dyslexia and understand that a child struggling academically does not mean that they are lazy, dumb or stupid, but rather that they might be struggling with a learning difficulty that we need to have them assessed for.

I also believe schools need stronger learning support systems and greater access to qualified learning difficulty specialists. Support should not only begin once a child is severely struggling. Early identification and intervention can make a huge difference to a child’s academic progress and, just as importantly, their confidence and self-esteem.

Another important change is the way we approach the classroom. Not every child learns in the same way, so schools need to be more flexible in the way they teach, assess and support students. Simple adjustments and appropriate teaching strategies can make a huge difference for a dyslexic student, such as not penalising them for spelling mistakes when spelling is not the skill that is being assessed, and giving them extra time to complete tasks.

I think we need to create school environments where students do not feel ashamed of their learning differences. Academic success is important, but so is a child’s confidence and mental wellbeing. A child should leave school believing that they are capable and that their learning difference does not determine their future. It is also extremely important to make sure that their classmates are fully aware of what a learning difficulty is, because bullying should not be tolerated in any school.

Egypt has improved a lot since I was a child, but I do believe we still have a long way to go in terms of awareness, understanding and resources. But I am so happy to be a part of that change and I believe that with more people supporting dyslexics, we can truly make a difference in the education system.