Egypt's rural population of 57% relies heavily on agriculture, especially small-scale farming, as a livelihood. However, rural Egypt is also confronted with persistent challenges that perpetuate the cycle of poverty and vulnerability. This report outlines the findings and learnings from an exploratory qualitative study conducted between July and September 2022 in 3 villages in different Egyptian governorates; Giza, Fayoum, and Luxor. Following the UNDP Accelerator Lab's systems thinking approach, the study took a few steps back to examine the notion of rural resilience, through the lens of men and women whose livelihood depends on agriculture, and to understand the position of finance within tools to achieve it. To this end, the research attempted to engage with the complexities of rural livelihoods while encouraging future critical research that can inform community-centered solutions.