Social media bring joy to orphan couple in Egypt, destitute patient in Malaysia

Ala and Osama

By Habib Toumi

Manama: Facebook and social media have helped an orphan couple in Egypt celebrate their wedding in great style and amid thousands of guests and a patient in Malaysia undergo a surgery for which he had no money.

In Tanta, a large city about 100 kilometers north of Egypt’s capital Cairo, Ala, the bride, and Osama, the groom, grew up as orphans in a care home.

The two fell in love and decided to get married. However, they had no relatives and the only guests they could invite were their friends, fellow orphans and officials in the care home.

However, a friend posted their story on Facebook and invited the residents of Tanta to attend the engagement and wedding ceremony

Guests at the wedding reception

On Thursday, around 8,000 people came to the hall where the party was being hosted, bringing with them roses and gifts.Videos posted on social media showed joyful and jubilant celebrations and the elated couple being surrounded and applauded by the unexpected guests.

Guests waiting outside to enter the hall and join in the celebrations

Scores of people had to wait outside for an opportunity to share in the celebrations as the hall was overcrowded with guests signing and dancing for and with the couple.

In Malaysia, Afrizam Drawi, 40, was scheduled to undergo cardiac and heart valve surgery. However, he did not have enough funds to pay for it.

“Imagine two days before entering the ward, I had to prepare RM15,000 ($3,620) and the money available was not enough, plus I did not know the status of my welfare aid application – whether it was approved or not,” he said.

However, after his dilemma was published by Bernama, the Malaysian news agency, there was a breakthrough.

“Once news of my ordeal was published by Bernama, I began receiving WhatsApp posts along with prayers from people who wanted to donate,” he told Bernama

Afrizam Drawi (Bernama)

Afrizam said he was grateful to Bernama and to all the netizens in the country for their generous contribution to lighten the burden of his family members.

Assistance was extended to his three children who were helped with preparations for school. His eldest son received an offer to a full boarding school in January.

“I do not know how I am going to repay all these good deeds,” he said.