Mona Abouali was a beloved mother, daughter, and sister who brought compassion, joy, and creativity to everything that she touched. While her life was tragically cut short at the age of 46, she is remembered fondly by her friends and family always. A civil engineer by training, Mona immigrated to Canada from Egypt in the early 1980s where she translated her love of math and science into a career in teaching. Completing a Masters in Education, she taught in schools across the city of Toronto and volunteered on the weekends teaching Arabic to children. Upon returning to Egypt in the 1990s, she focused her passion for art into an antiques business, traveling across Egypt and abroad to source rare and beautiful pieces.

Her legacy lives on through the Mona Abouali Memorial Fund at the Toronto Foundation. Established and overseen by Mona’s daughter, Farida Deif, the Fund will, at this time, provide grants to women newcomers to start small businesses, pursue certificates and degrees, or carry out other vital projects of their choosing. To honor her life, we hope that these grants will empower the next generation of women immigrants with the confidence and resources to pursue their dreams, rebuild their lives, and reinvent themselves in Canada.

(i) This Fund’s granting purpose is subject to change at the request of the Donor Advisor. (ii) To enable the Donor Advisor to properly recognize donors for their contributions, Toronto Foundation will share your contact information and donation amount with the Donor Advisor unless you have checked the anonymous box on the donation form.