A twenty-three-year-old woman became the youngest school principal in Egypt, but people seem to have a problem with it.
A couple of days ago Facebook page “Women Of Egypt” shared the success story of the youngest school principal in Egypt, highlighting her upbringing and educational background like they usually do in their posts.
However, this time, people did not feel very celebratory of this woman’s success. Even though it is a “women empowerment” page.
Who is She?
She is Gouna born and raised who is a scholarship recipient and graduate from the American University in Cairo (AUC) with a double major in political science and philosophy in addition to a minor in psychology.
In an interview she did with an online website, she talks about how she has always dreamed of opening her own school, and how passionate she has always been about making a positive change in the way students learn.
After that interview, She was featured in the ‘women empowerment’ page “Women of Egypt” as a young successful woman.
Instead of supporting this young woman, and rooting for her positive message, people seemed to only have negative and quite hurtful things to say.
Although again, this is a WOMEN EMPOWERMENT platform!
Why did people attack her?
Most people started to claim -on no ground whatsoever- that she only became the youngest school principal because her dad owned the school she worked at!
Even though, she says in the interview -which I am sure no one cared to read- that she applied in the school she works at because her mom “worked there”, not owned the place! She also stated that she got the principal position upon a recommendation from the CEO who she worked with.
However, people didn’t seem to think she deserved this?
A series of comparisons that don’t make any sense started angrily spreading in the comments…
And of course, the ‘conspiracy theory’ had to come in the mix…
People left and right crediting all her success to favoritism!
And where would we be without the constant cynicism and sarcasm?
Thankfully, though, some people tried to set the record straight and defend the girl…
People who knew her personally stated that she, in fact, is not related to the school owner and that she graduated from AUC with a scholarship.
However, that should NOT really matter!
Seriously though, WHY?
Whether she is related to the school owner or not, and whether she got into AUC with a scholarship or not, the fact right now is that this young woman chose to pursue her passion and make a difference.
Why does that make her subjected to attack?
We see successful “businessmen” all the time breaking into the scene managing their family’s business or making business with their family money, and we have nothing but applaud and support for them.
Why is it that we have a problem supporting a woman in the same position? Why does HE deserve it and SHE doesn’t?
And why do we have to undermine a person’s success to feel accomplished? If someone was fortuned with easier circumstances than yours, it doesn’t make them guilty, and it also does not minimize your own accomplishments!
If she is, in fact, a 23-year-old girl who chose to be a school principal, she still deserves a round of applause. Because she chose to make something good out of her fortunate situation. She chose to make a difference. She thought of other people, other than herself and decided to dedicate her career to them.
That doesn’t seem like such an awful thing to do, does it?
The point is, it won’t bring you any higher if you put people down. So live and let live! Please…
