We carry out several artistic activities and celebrations in several towns in the Bekaa without discrimination!
– We call on the work team that supports me and the white hands for any in-kind or material assistance
– I personally follow up on every detail and incoming of any activity so that it becomes integrated and successful
Interview by Editor-in-Chief Fouad Ramadan
Mrs. Rola Ibrahim Al-Toum, wife of Representative Dr. Samer Al-Toum, “We Tell Us Joy,”
is the symbol of a woman of resistance in difficult missions on the humanitarian, social, educational, health, and recreational levels, and the symbol of giving, goodness, love, and humanity. She carries on her shoulders the concerns of the homeland and the citizen that stores her heart and thought, and carries all the meanings of humanity to grow. Sanabel is generous, and strives with all effort and energy to achieve the greatest happiness for the largest number of needy citizens in particular, silently doing what is appropriate. To complete the image of a good woman, always ready to answer the call with several charitable works, this call that became her first obsession, and she translated all of that into reality alongside a work team that believed in her ideas, the soundness of her opinion, and the transparency of her work, until she formed and headed a committee under the name “We Bring Joy.”
How could she not have these characteristics, since she was born and raised in a rural environment, most of which were humility, humanitarian work, and openness to others without distinction or discrimination?
“Kawalis Magazine” website, which has grown in Ms. Al-Toum’s presence on the Lebanese scene and her humanitarian and social work, wanted to meet with her for this dialogue..
Editor-in-Chief Fouad Ramadan interviews Ms. Rola Ibrahim Al-Toum
* We would like to introduce you to your honorable person, first of all. There is no doubt that every human being creates within himself many specific inclinations, whims, and feelings.
What attracted you to charitable work, and from what orientation?
First, we welcome you with the warmest welcome, with many thanks for this media initiative to identify and shed light on my person and what I do on the social and humanitarian levels.
I am from the town of Ain al-Delb, east of Sidon. I grew up and lived my childhood in my town from a conservative family raised to do good deeds in all its meanings. Committed to inherited traditions and customs, especially familiarity, love, and cooperation for good and the public interest, until I moved to Beirut to pursue my university major in the field of nursing. I practiced this specialty at the Hotel Dieu Hospital. After that, I moved this work to France, and there, by chance, I met my husband, a doctor. My heart is Samer Al-Toum, and we got married there and I continued my studies to obtain a diploma in the field of nursing. Seven years later, in 2008, we decided to return to Lebanon to establish a family and business, where we gave birth to three children, “Joey, Rudy, and Serena A.” They are the adornments of our lives, after I left my nursing job, which was It takes a lot of my and my family’s time. I entered a new job in the field of pharmaceuticals and insurance.
When my family responsibilities towards education increased, by standing with them to follow their lessons and their lives, which became one of my undisputed priorities, I left all the work I was taking on, devoting myself to the house and the children, especially husband Samer, who was busy with his patients almost around the clock. However, I continued to have various ideas and not to give up, especially since I had the energy to make plans. Projects that I can use for some social activities and other things. Since my husband is a well-known cardiologist in all circles, especially the Bekaa, starting from our town of Al-Qaa to all the Bekaa regions, and he has major humanitarian and utility services, he decided to run for parliamentary elections in the 2022 session.
I participated a lot with my husband in the election campaigns and family responsibilities at home
With her husband, MP Dr. Samer Al-Toum
Here, all the papers were mixed up and the responsibilities increased, as I had to open the doors of the house around the clock and carry out the various duties required of me, until I came to the point of carrying out parliamentary election campaigns for him in the town of Al-Qaa, after distributing the roles and scheduling visits between us, and I sacrificed quite a lot at the expense of the children in terms of education and teaching. In accordance with the desire of the husband, Samer, who loves working in public affairs, he decided to run for entry into the parliamentary symposium. Thank God, his share of victory was with the list he belonged to in the Baalbek-Hermel constituency, for the Catholic seat in that constituency, and here he is a member of the Lebanese Parliament exercising his activity and political and legislative role to the fullest. Face.
I lived in an environment committed to values, traditions, familiarity, and love, which attracted me to charitable and social work
* Let us move with you to your approach to charitable work, under a very striking and resonant title: “He brings us joy”?
This happened by chance, through a visit to us in our house in Al-Qaa by young men and women university students, asking us to stand with them and by their side in some of the projects they are undertaking, related to their university studies and the ideas they hold. I said to them: “We are the only ones, why don’t we be happy?” Especially as we are going through the crises of the revolution, the Corona virus, the difficult economic conditions, and the psychological pressure affecting most segments of humanity, I suggested to them the establishment of a gathering of young men and women in the Bekaa region, from which we would go to the rest of the Lebanese regions to carry out cultural and humanitarian activities, social services, medical aid, and medicines. Spontaneously, this gathering was established, which We gave him the name of the “We Bring Joy” committee, which I chair, and we actually held many holiday celebrations for all sects, a village dinner, and various artistic programs. We do not deny the generous hands of lovers, friends, and townspeople who made an effective contribution in providing a helping hand, in-kind materials, and various items, for the occasion, and we call for Every celebration is held by all the people, without distinction or discrimination, moving from one town to another: starting from the town of Al-Qaa to Ras Baalbek, Al-Fakha, Iaat, and Shalifa. Dors. Sarein and Baalbek
, of course, in coordination and cooperation with the official of each town, whether a cleric, municipality, or club. What strengthened my position as the wife of Representative Dr. Samer Al-Toum, in addition to the trust they placed in me and the love they lavished on me with all honesty and sincerity, such that they felt in my person the enthusiasm and transparency in dealing with them, and everyone considered themselves concerned and had an opinion and decision regarding any project that we presented to them.
The “We Bring Joy” committee came spontaneously between me and university students, and we will prove it with knowledge and news.
*Do you think about legalizing the committee so that it receives information and information from the Ministry of Interior and Economy, and becomes an official character?
Of course, everything is possible and soon we will strive for it, and there is a very special activity in the city of Baalbek specifically that we announce at the time with the special work team to organize any party or event. Rather, I will be on the ground supervising every intrusive and incoming work so that the work is complete and crowned with success.
*How do you evaluate the role of women in terms of rights and duties, in addition to the marginalization of their role, violence, and failure to provide an identity to the children of a woman married to a foreigner?
After the experience I have, as well as the experiences on the ground and the life I live, and my involvement in social and political work through my husband, I say: “Nothing succeeds without the presence and role of women, that’s in short.” She has succeeded in several fields, and has proven her competence and merit. We have never heard that a woman caused the bankruptcy of a bank, company, or institution. Most women run banks and schools, and they practice law, medicine, judiciary, engineering, and manage associations with high efficiency. Men and women complement each other, and there should be no derogation from their rights. Women and their role in society, starting with their family, in good upbringing and education. There is no doubt that there is marginalization and problems in the countryside of women’s role, and there is abuse towards them, unlike women in the city who go out to the field of work, interact with societies, and keep pace with civilization. In absolute terms, women must set a goal for their path in life, not To walk randomly without knowing the way.
I compete with myself..! And there is nothing wrong with jealousy!
*Mrs. Rola Al-Toum, do you have a love of competition, and who are you competing with?
Competition is beautiful and legitimate as long as it is honest, and I compete with myself to leave a mark on society.
*The prevailing jealousy among women, and has any of it affected you?
Of course, there is nothing wrong with it. Some people show you love and jealousy, and on the other hand they try to put a stick in the wheels of your path. I understand from the gesture, and I discover this from the eyes. I close the door and do not pay any attention. I continue in my professional career and stand by my husband and giving for free gives you a feeling. There is nothing more beautiful, because my goal and goal is to bring as many people as possible to one table without discrimination, and I adhere to the old saying: “He who seeks goodness stays up all night.” After each activity, I conduct a self-assessment to hold myself accountable with the work team, where we made mistakes, where we were right, and the lapses that occurred to be remedied later and corrected. what it takes.
Nothing succeeds without the presence and role of women, which complement the role of men in society
*At the end of the meeting, what is the word?
Thank you for the efforts made by the media to spread the good word and shed light on our association, the various activities we do, and the beautiful coincidence that brought us together.
