Sherif El Ghamrawy was born in Giza, Egypt, and attended the German School of Cairo. He graduated from Cairo University with a degree in civil engineering, but his passion for the environment and conserving Egypt’s natural resources led him to create Basata Ecolodge and Hemaya. He has also worked tirelessly to prevent the construction of a power plant in Nuweiba, which could destroy the natural beauty of the region. El Ghamrawy has received numerous awards for promoting ecotourism and waste management programmes, including the World Travel Market Award for best project in the marine environment. He is an Ashoka Fellow and recipient of the Scwhab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Award.