Women's Month: Tribute to These Positive Male Role Models

March is the month people in Egypt annually celebrate International Women's Day, Mother's Day, and Women’s History Month.

There is no doubt that Women make up one-half of society and takes care of the other half. In addition, there is no doubt of the role of the other half of society, the man, plays as without him life will never be the same.

As life goes on, we notice the existence of outstanding women who have served impressive roles in life, we also discovered males who led remarkable roles in life and dedicated their lives for high and noble tasks; models that need to be praised and highlighted in order to set positive male role models in society.

*Middle brother

Dr Gamal Abuelela, the middle brother in a large, middle family displaced from Upper Egypt that consists of four sons and three daughters.

The father worked in trade, so his two elder sons helped him in his profession, while the rest of the children carried on with their education.

The middle brother was smart, diligent, and ambitious, so he joined the Faculty Of Medicine.

He did not neglect his roles and responsibilities to his family despite his preoccupation with his academic studies and took care of his youngest sister who arrived to a big family filled with sons and daughters, and at a time his mother was sick with an incurable disease and his father and older brothers were away, as well as four of his siblings were married and did not live at home anymore— only remained Gamal, and his younger brother and youngest sister.

Everyone was too busy to care for the child except for the middle brother, who noticed her because of attentive and kind nature.

The Upper Egypt father predicted that the girl would more likely to become the “lady of the house” instead of her sick mother and drop out of school as the house had three men and a sick mother who are in need of service.

However, Gamal strongly refused and continued to defend his sister’s right to a better life, pointing in motivated reasoning, his theory of his sister’s academic achievement, who managed to do so, while carrying out her roles and responsibilities to the family towards her sick mother and her brothers who reside with her in the house with love and sincerity.

He remained supportive of her pathway for education until she enrolled in one of the top colleges and graduated with honors… The middle brother remained the backbone for all his siblings, especially, his youngest one.

* Loving husband

Whoever says that faithful husbands who always support their wives are rare, and whoever said that the perfect husband is the handsome or rich one!

It is a proven thought in life that the kind husband is a great family asset, as the next story shows established evidence of a man who appreciates his loyal wife sacrifices and stands behind her during her illness.

The story tells the tale of an academic professor Dr. Abdel hay Ebed, who travels everywhere to give lectures and to discuss his master's degree, and of his wife, a mother of three children, who is taking over a high position.

Yet, with her kindhearted nature, she stood by her husband and children and was able to coordinate between her marital life, children, and job.

She stayed up late working hard, learning, educating, and supporting her husband, who worked at the university in the morning and completes his master's degree in the evening.

Years passed and the husband took post to the highest position at the university and the children grew up and became overachievers like their parents.

However, the years were not kind to her as cancer began attacking her thin, slender body, be that as it may, the husband kept fighting the disease with her, supporting and trying persistently and tirelessly all types of science.

The man shouldered on and reinforced the love of his life, the mother of his children, and his companion in her brave fight against the disease, who faced it courageously with the support of her loyal, and sincere husband.

*Eldest son

Eng. Ibrahim Sayed is the eldest son in a household that consists of a father, a mother, three sons and two daughters.

He was raised, educated, and was his parents’ loyal friend. He is the mastermind, the enduring heart, the brother, and the son, all are roles that he performed in the best way.

Ibrahim got married after he graduated, and his house became an additional house for the family, which expanded after his wife gave birth to the family’s first grandchildren.

The mother died and the rest of the children got married, but that is fact of life, the father remained alone in his house, but was frequently visited by all his children, especially by his daughters, and his grandchildren.

The father came down with extreme illness and was dying, however, he refused traditional nursing and clung to his eldest son, the kind-hearted and his old friend, to be his companion in home and asked his son to nurse him in his last days, who quite patiently did.

Ibrahim spend his days taking care of his father's psychological and medical needs in his long battle against illness, and endured so much hardship, that he had to quit his job to accompany his father on treatment trips and to take care of him in his old age, amid the astonishment of his wife.

A tribute to these respectful, loyal men on International Women's Day and Month, as both, go hand-in-hand in supporting each other, as life will never be the same without being together.

Contributed by Yara Sameh