Egyptian carpet schools improve locals' lives in Saqqara village

At the school's workshop, several horizontal and vertical looms are installed with weavers working on them, including men, women, boys and girls.

Hamada Ibrahim, 40, was busy teaching a group of women, girls and boys how to draw a simple picture with wool or silk thread on a vertical loom.

"We teach children to do something useful during the summer holidays. We even send looms to some married women who would like to work from home and improve their income to help with providing for their families," Ibrahim, who has been a carpet weaver for 30 years, said.

His trainees include his 12-year-old son Mahmoud, who loves weaving in his summer holiday. The boy was weaving fast on a vertical loom to work on a carpet patterned with King Tut's iconic gold mask.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the workshop, a group of young ladies was working on other carpets and tapestries, also using vertical looms.

Fatma Ahmed, 29, was carrying out a tapestry with a drawing of a tree and birds standing on its branches. She said that she worked for the carpet school before she got married, and she returned to the school after several years as a housewife.

"I enjoy working here with my colleagues and we're content with our work. It is also helpful financially," Fatma said.