Vote For Most Inspiring Woman

Mrs Ruqaya Abdul Wahab Essa Al Qatami

Here's her story submitted by her daughter...

''Unwinding the film of my mother's life (journey in life) is truly inspiring and can only arouse admiration. What to say of her dedication, persistence and readiness to overcome any challenges that come in the way.

Helping the poor and caring for the needy was a philosophy that she was spoon-fed with all her life first within her family then later on when she married. A young widow at the age of 30, and a mother of 6 daughters and a son, she first dedicated her time to her young children inculcating us principles and solid rules. She was always the driving force who kept us gathered together.

She followed our education very closely and at the same time had us learn The Holy Quran and follow religious courses. That was mandatory to all and non negotiable.

Ahead of her time, she made sure that all her daughters get the proper education abroad, which was an exception in Kuwait in the late 1940's. She knew that education was the best power and force that they can have to ascertain their future. In 1978, she did not even hesitate to move with one of my sisters, who needed to finish her undergraduate studies, to the United States of America. She made use of her stay there to improve her skills in embroidery and couture.

However, that did not stop her from pursuing her charitable and humanitarian work and when the Kuwait Women Society was launched in 1961, she was from the beginning fully involved, first as a board member and then for six years a treasurer until the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Because she liked sewing, she created a tailoring section within the society and was organizing, with the help of a group of female members, fashion shows and bazaars for fund raising; part of the money raised was allocated to support the society and part of it to help Palestinian orphanages and schools in Jerusalem. She also adopted an orphan Palestinian child whom she fully sponsored until the tragic invasion of Kuwait.

Would she have known I was divulging this trait of her character and her long standing story of charity she would certainly have resisted because she believes that we should be charitable but never publicize what we are doing, according to the precepts of Islam.

Oum Qais was very well known among her colleagues of the Kuwait Society for her talents in fundraising - she was excellent and would raise large sums for all kinds of causes. When the Kuwait Women Society came with the idea of building a village in Northern Sudan she was one of the most active fundraisers and soon "Qaryat Hanan "in Kassala, North Eastern Sudan was born. It was entire village with all possible shops necessary, housings etc. My mother also participated in the fundraising for the building of a village for the orphans in Lebanon.

Besides raising funds she herself has devoted her personal time to conduct amongst others sewing workshops, carpentry and farming to encourage women to work and earn leaving.

She resumed her activities immediately at the liberation of Kuwait, quietly working and helping those in need. In Kuwait she started by creating exquisite handmade pieces (artisan at) that she would sell in charity bazaars that she organized herself; all the profits of the bazaars were donated to Hussain Makki Jumaa Cancer Center to help needy cancer patients, buy airplane tickets, wheelchairs or certain expensive medicines or sponsor expensive medical procedures.

The idea of launching an association was in my mother's mind for many years. It was triggered after she herself lived through the ordeal of losing a loved one - my nephew - to this disease. While he was being treated in America my mother noted the efficacy and efficiency of the cancer support groups there.

At the time, Oum Qais asked for the support of all her family, relatives and friends. They were of course all so confident of her ability to handle this humanitarian work and charity, that they all gave her the support she needed.

The association started first on a small scale with a group of dedicated volunteer women. Hayat4Cancer was launched unofficially in 2003 but soon it expanded and due to the excellent work and assistance provided to the cancer patients, the Ministry of Social Affairs recognized it and accepted it to be an official and registered foundation under their supervision. Actually Hayat4Cancer is a branch of the: "Rugaya A. Al-Qatami Charity Foundation & Cancer Patients Helping Fund" (2008).

Our association is composed of a group of dedicated volunteers. All the proceeds received from the donations are entirely spent purchasing the chemotherapy for the patients.

Our Association has three key goals:

* Providing free of charge expensive chemotherapy to expatriates non-GCC nationals residing in Kuwait, assisting them with their treating physicians to the end of their treatment, and morally supporting them.

* Breast cancer support group for Kuwait patients

* In a very near future launching in association with the Ministry of Health a nationwide program on breast cancer screening for Kuwaiti women to raise awareness and improve the status of health in Kuwait, our beloved country.

Our sponsorship includes 23 different nationalities: Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Soudan, Yemen, Bulgaria, Canada, Iran, Lebanon, India, Morocco Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Iraq, Bangladesh, China, United States of America, Australia, and non- Kuwaitis (Bedoons). Since Ramadan September 2007 we have sponsored 207 cancer patients at a cost of more than 2.5 million Kuwaiti Dinars: including breast cancer, lymphoma, colon cancer, leukemia, kidney cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and brain cancer.

This may appear a "drop in the ocean" but with the help and support of those very generous and big hearted donors, we have succeeded to help some of the patients. Because we have the technical expertise, a branch of the charity foundation helps in other parts of the Arab world - "Help Yemen" deals with specific health problems related to childhood cancer and breast cancer in Yemen and "Hayat in Syria" was launched lately and is providing technical advice to build a cancer hospital outside of Damascus.

This is my mother, well known in Kuwait as "Oum Qais Alghanim" a discreet and generous Grande Dame, a philanthropist, our driving force who is always able to give a helping hand to whomever who needs it."

Facebook Page [link]

Website: http://hayat4cancer.org/
Email: admin@mabarah.org 


LWDLIK- A fitting tribute by her daughter.


Ruqaya Abdul Wahab Essa Al Qatami (Oum Qais)  is a contestant in the Philadelphia Cream Cheese competition of 'Women Who Inspired You Most'. If you would like to vote for this wonderful lady here's the [link]. I have been informed by her granddaughter that any prize money will go to the Hayat Cancer Foundation.

Thank you Bibi x