We began talking about Eng. Sami Fahim, his unceasing giving along a journey featured with rare traits!These traits were conjoined together to create a glimmer of light that surrounded his life, until he became a model that charts the steps of success for those who want to realize its meaning. Among his most prominent qualities, which I am pleased to talk about: love, philanthropy, responsibility, innovation and research.
First: Love and philanthropy
Love in the life of Engineer Sami Fahim is one of the principles that he lived and worked with in all stages of his life. In the engineering field, he worked with great love with all his co-workers; such love has clearly appeared during his work in Nigeria, where workers were unvalued! However, Eng. Sami’s dealings with them were characterized by humanity and love, so the workers sent him back great love that resulted in an increase in the factor’s production a hundredfold!
Regarding Eng. Sami Fahim’s love for his country Egypt, which has always occupied the first place in his life,we would need more time and space to describe it. During his work period in Nigeria, his heart was in a haste, his thoughts were preoccupied with his homeland, which was fighting for the liberation of its land in October 1973, immediately after the end of the war, he hurried back to build it industrially and economically. On the societal level, he cared for the needy families, and established a Rotary in the “Tenth of Ramadan” city, aiming at serving these families by setting up small projects for them, in addition to awarding outstanding students at the Faculty of Girls, Ain Shams University a number of awards, and helping to pay tuition fees for those who are unable. Out of his love and giving to all, He has never discriminatedamong human beings, whether in race or religion, giving everyone the same amount of concern and care. He would often repeat: “Love makes one see things differently. Divine love makes great calamity seem as a small issue. Homeland love makes everything easy for the sake of the homeland’s development.”
Second: Bearing Responsibility
Eng. Sami Fahim was distinguished by having a clear goal, working for it and bearing responsibility for achieving it, exerting effort with devotional sincerity. He was sure that achievements are not made by dreams and hopes, but by effort, fatigue, perspiration, striving with great patience and stubborn determination to work. Eng. Sami Fahim has faced a number of difficulties, especially at the beginning of his life, including: the difficulties of studying when he was living in Damanhourwhile studying at Alexandria University. He used to wake up every day at 4:30 in the morning to catch the train, to start a busy academic day, and then continue his day striving to study his lessons to achieve success. He was a typical image of real struggle to reach the desired goal. His journey of struggle continued, and he made great achievements in the field of industry in Egypt and Nigeria. Among his famous words that he used to repeat: “Whenever desire and will are found, there is a way.” He also bore responsibility for many fateful decisions in the journey of giving and struggle.
Third: Innovation and Research
Eng. Sami Fahimrealized the importance of research, study, science and culture, and he believed in the ability of hard work, research and thinking to obtain a good product at a low cost that suits all levels of consumption; he contributed to the production of the first Westinghouse refrigerator by manufacturing the Freezer unit in Egypt, as it had been imported, which led to a reduction in the cost, and he thought of manufacturing a “butane heater” to reduce electricity consumption.
Before Eng. Sami Fahim reached the age of sixty, he had dedicated himself to serving the church, as he used to say that the next years of his life are tithes to our Lord, so he became a member of the Board of Trustees of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Obour City, and attended its inauguration with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. His service in the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center since it was an idea until it was established can never be forgotten, he even continued to serve it until his departure. The Triple beatified Pope Shenouda III assigned Eng. Sami Fahim a number of the Center’s committees, so he was a member of the general, engineering and financial committees, and the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He became a member of the Advisory Board, and was awarded the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center Award for Culture, Science and Human Services, known as the Ola Ghabbour Award.
Thus, the Biblical words “A good life lasts only so long, but a good reputation will last forever” were truly embodied in Eng. Sami Fahim… And stories about beautiful Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
