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MARYAM
RAJAB
COAST
'MAENDELEO YA WANAWAKE' LEADER
Coastweek
- - "We, the Kenyan
women, much more so perhaps the Coast Hijab ones, have indeed lost a
great leader".
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Kenyan women -
particularly the Coast Hijab women social organizations and
institutions - have lost a dynamic and dedicated leader in the death
of Maryam Rajab (popularly known as 'Mrs Thabiti'.).
She led Coast 'Maendeleo
ya Wanawake' organization for several years with great success to
the admiration of all members and leaders.
Her effective
contribution enhanced its remarkable success over the years and she
was unanimously elected the first vice chair-person at the national
level.
In her eulogy, the
National Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson, Mrs. Zipora Kitony who
flew to Mombasa from Rift Valley to attend the funeral, observed:
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Coastweek
- - Maryam
Rajab - also popularly
known as 'Mrs Thabiti'. |
"Maryam was one of
the central pillars of the Maendeleo whose service to the organization
did not only enrich its success but also earned a good reputation as
having leaders of devotion and dedication who reflected tremendous
amount of leadership qualities.
"Maryam was not
only our trusted colleague but my esteemed friend on whom I used to
rely on for her wise, honest and sincere advice.
"We, the Kenyan
women, much more so perhaps the Coast Hijab ones, have indeed lost a
great leader."
Several thousand women
from various parts of the Coast converged into her father's residence
to bid farewell to their good leader.
Maryam Rajab - Mrs.
Thabit Sulaiman - was a highly trained social worker who received a
two years course in Social Work at the Kenyan Israel School of Social
Work.
She worked for the
Mombasa Municipal Council as a Social Work officer where her
leadership qualities were soon recognized and appreciated so much so
that she was recommended for further training at the Matuga District
Development Centre where she came out with remarkable performances.
It is this course that
widened her perception of the need for women to associate with their
men to accelerate development of their society.
She also attended a
social work higher course in Isreal where she was deeply impressed by
their sense of organization and punctuality.
In l988 the East African
Industries appointed her Home Advisor for Coast Province.
The company found her a
unique asset for publicizing its goods that she was allowed to go
beyond the Coast region to sell its wares.
She was popular and
deeply admired by her fellow women who often would approach her to
join their women groups.
Maryam Rajab - Mrs.
Thabit Sulaiman - has set a good example for the Hijab upcoming women
who want to serve their communities or even the women of Kenya.
Mrs. Zipora Kitony, as
she was delivering her deeply moving eulogy, with tears falling
heavily on her cheeks, described her good and trusted friend:
"Though a deeply
religious person, yet Maryam was liberal minded and showed sincere and
respect and toleration and co-operation with people of other spiritual
faiths.
"She committed her
efforts to promoting mutual understanding between Kenyans and among 'Wananchi'
of different races, creeds and ethnic groups."
She was the first
National Vice chairperson of M.Y.W.O.
Her husband Sheikh
Thabit Sulaiman is a prominent Coast public figure who retired
recently as a senior administrative officer with the Mombasa Municipal
Council, at its Medical Department.
He now serves as an
educationist with the Board of Directors of the Sheikh Khalifa Bin
Zayed at Nahyan Secondary School, Mombasa.
Her two sons, Muniri and
Said, are renowned Coast personalities serving in public institutions.
- Faraj
Dumila, Mombasa.
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