Imbābah is a poor, crowded neighborhood on the west side of the Nile from Cairo in the Giza Governorate.  While the Cairo Metro now links this area, it lacks proper streets, water and sewer services in much of the area.  Most of those living in Imbābah are originally from Upper Egypt although some have live there for more than a generation.  Due to crowding and lack of basic services, the atmosphere can easily become tense. Minor conflicts among inhabitants often occur which need to be dealt with.

Al-Bayādīyah, located about 300 kilometers south of Cairo, is one of the few overwhelmingly Christian villages in Egypt.  Often times, local culture and traditions conflict with what should be the Christian tradition of forgiveness.  However, the concept of vengeance and “honor” killings is very much part of the Upper Egyptian culture that overrules religious teachings.  To end many vengeance situations and bring about reconciliation among families, the issue literally has to be brought to the doorstep of the family that has declared vengeance on one or more members of the other family that vengeance has been declared upon.

There may be some lessons to be learned here that go beyond the two local situations cited that might be applied to other situations and in other cultures.