Egypt…Poor for the poor and rich for only the rich!

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:03:00 GMT

It is sad to see such a resourceful country like ours lack social justice to this severe extent.

It is sad to see that the treasures of this country flow and flood to everyone except for the people who need it the most…the poor.

It is sad to see that the treasures of this country multiplies and drowns everyone in it's luxury…everyone who's rich.

A while ago I was having a conversation with a well off friend of mine who urged me to help him find a suitable bride as he has turned 38 and thought it was time for him to get married. As comic as the thought of asking help to get married is as a concept to me…I simultaneously knew a girl with similar circumstances and mindset so I offered introducing them…I told him about her and he replied the following:

OK I could see her but first you got to get me some basic info about her.
OK, what do you want to know??? Noting that I don't see a point as you're going to meet her in person.
I'd rather get my Info first, I wanna know where she lives, what school did she go to and what does her daddy do.
Hmm…how come you didn't wanna know about her education or job??
Oh, how come you're such a baby although you’re an old woman?? And laughed.
Tayeb mat2olsh old tayeb…I'm serious, answer me and stop being silly and rude. ( he tends to be madab)
My questions imply financial status…If she's bent nas or not.
I was struck by such hypocrisy, stupidity and shallowness, I said: I can't believe YOU are seeing people this way…What has financial status got to do with being a bent nas….that of course if we're talking about the same scale…I mean, If bent nas means she was well bread, had decent parents, well educated and from a respectful family.
Yes sure, that's what I mean, but ya kofta (his way of referring to me as a naïve woman) She wouldn't be bent nas unless she was well off.
I almost lost it and well, anyway I said: what, are you serious??? Based on what have you had that Astonishing discovery a rule??
Eh ya benty, welad elnas must be well off to have the spirit to raise their sons and daughters well and have a decent life…oh, and don't forget to find out which club is she a member in.

The following was made so clear to him as I am the type of person that can't but set things straight when I'm intrigued and nothing intrigues me as el fashkhara elkadaba.

So, In an unfair world like ours where resources are segmented and forced to reach certain channels in our society while depriving others of their basic needs… when the rich find their treasures double with time, their luxury extends, their capabilities to take the best education, means of living and means of fun for granted…Other sections of the same society in the same country struggle everyday to provide the minimum decent education and basic means of life.

And so, If we took a sample of each type…it is most likely to find that the struggling family have more ethics, values, human kindness and a knowledge worth sharing with society than the well off family.

I'm not generalizing+ I realize the lack of substance, levels of crime and ignorance in very poor random groups of people + I realize some well off families maintain a great sense of value and the most decent nature.

Yet, middle class families beat well off ones any time anyway!

And that's because, Power, success, knowledge, kindness and generosity that were seeded and grown out of struggle is so much more profound than those which were grown out of convenience!

Always was and will always be.

Now, what can we do to set the treasures of this company straight into flooding to reach all channels equally?

And by equally I mean to those who deserve it and those who work fair and square for it.

I know of an initiative: set your mind sets straight next time you appraise a person…Disregard how much money did he spend on a watch and which language school did he attend and search for quality, authenticity and skill.

If we could choose friends on that base, lovers, mates, colleagues and partners we will then allow them to have a taste of the resources we enjoy…the wellness will spread to reach unconventional channels…after a long time, maybe, less people will envy the untalented rich for what they easily indulge.

That being said: I will never forget Ahmed, a class mate from KGs till high school, his dad was an average factory worker who saved all year to get his son into a language school so he could have a better life than the life he had…Ahmed, couldn't afford new uniforms, bags and stationary every year…I saw him writing In used copybooks as he would tare off the used last year's papers and recycle it again…His pants on the third year appeared to be shorter than usual…I found ahmed astonishing, he was the most polite, clever, straight A student and the most grateful for what he had and what his dad did for him than all the brats in my school including me…Ahmed, back in 1990/1991 had 98% graduating from high school ( a rare thing at the time ) and fulfilled his and his dad's dream and became a Doctor…He now has a clinic to serve the people of Dar Elsalam where he grew up.

How many ebn nas according to my silly friend accomplished that while maintaining one of the most beautiful human spirits I've ever encountered??

Could, but rare…

How many well off guy serves in the community?? How many would choose to volunteer in a summer job instead of chick hunting in Marina??

If life is unfair, the country is unfair and people are unfair….we can start by being fair towards someone…and the richness will fill our hearts before approaching anyone else.

To help others is to do the only thing that would really help us become meaningful persons living a meaningful life.

I know this sounds overheard...I know all political parties view that problem and promise a thousand VALID solution to it ONLY on election times.

I know statistics show an incline in god knows what, I know NGOs play a role, I know individuals feed a hungry here, clothe a poor family there or look after an orphan or two...and although that ain't enough because we are growing rapidly towards more than 80 million people squeezed around the delta mostly...this is not the main problem here.

The main problem is the huge wide opened doors waiting for the son of SOMEONE to collect more from the fountain of ready made fortunes...while it is slammed repeatitively on daily bases in the faces of skilled talented average medium to low class people according to the corrupted scale of airheads around the country.

We deserve a piece of the cake...hell, OUR cake!

Now, I want a financial statement from this country...Has anyone ever demanded that??!!

Not a pro this or an anti that...I want to know my resources and my income and how much do i spend as a citizen of this country...I want to know where does the 2.5k they take as taxes from my pay cheque go??

I want to know why do they spend millions of dollars on a pharaonic statue while having to accept donations from the USA to Aid us (certain types of people)do whatever??!!

No one will answer me and If they would 7aeyzello ahaleena and they would make us in debt for the smart country's ass after all...I know.

So, Only final resort...Only convenient resort...Only human approach is to talk the talk AND walk the walk...It's just a mind set...and the privileged won't even have to feel intimidated at all...they won't admit to being as normal as anyone else...they would still feel superior but out of giving instead of out of taking.

The big word: CRISIS

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:22:00 GMT

Where I work and with whom i interact on daily bases are overwhelmed by the economic melt down that has been going on every day recently...In Egypt we started fearing the fall of the stock market which slided bit by bit till it fell 17% last Tuesday.

Foreign Investors in Egypt are withdrawing and the market has frozen.

On the other side of the earth...what has been going on in the US transmitted more fear...when things like: the USA has 438 billion $ deficiency in the budget!!

When we see on the news crimes and suicides committed because of severe economic crisis hitting people...The word CRISIS is on every tongue now.

A friend of mine who's a Risk Manager in an European Bank is actually considering moving out of the country...to where?? EUROPE.

As for me and the business I'm involved in which is related mainly to Dubai...the princess of the Arab world and the no. 1 country in the middle east right now when it comes to stable financial status...they're panicking over there as well.

Bottom line: When stocks are down and real estate too ( which is the prime rare product on the face of the earth and the most needed: more people Vs less land )

It rings a big big bell.

Regardless of all of the above, I find myself taking the whole issue with a different approach.

and this is actually not naive nor lacks practical thinking, I just have to think:

well, Individually which is the breakdown of the world it self...I have my rezq from Allah.

And like every other situation when someone with the least amount of faith finds himself at jeopardy or at risk, they run to who's the most powerful and capable of giving without reasons...we run to Allah.

And if for one second i let my heart feed from the " crisis" talk and panic for the bread and butter on my kids' table because of a financial status in a country or even the whole universe then I'd be slowly killing myself.

That doesn't mean that I'm 100% sure that I won't be affected if ever a crisis did hit the economy...no, I could...but that'll be the life experience I'm supposed to have at that time and date - god forbids - and reasons won't make any difference...such test could be due to any circumstance.

The only thing that people are obligated to do at the time being is:

Because such panic makes lots of business sharks feed over the little people's money...they should have mercy and not steel in the dark.

Everyone should work twice as hard to contain any stressful situation within their company.

If - god forbids - a cut down in Co. expenses is needed and i mean REALLY needed we should tolerate that.

Great spirits and positive thinking is like Magic...STOP repeating the big big word: Crisis.

on a last note, I believe that world economics won't be affected for long...because, and to simplify it, wealth is in the hands of people who want to maintain it...and those won't stand still while their fortunes get lost...along history, nations suffered financially mainly because of WAR....because war always meant destruction of financial resources, man power and suspension of production...other than that, it's all temporary.

Keep the faith, and again the hard devoted work and hold your head up high.

and all will be fine Insha' Allah :)

The Caller: bread and butter

Egypt…Poor for the poor and rich for only the rich!

The big word: CRISIS