Khadija's Smile

Khadija's Smile

        It is frustrating to be forced to leave your birth country and your loved ones when you have so many beautiful and sentimental memories with them. Being displaced means that you have to start a new life, to search for new acquaintances to adapt with and certainly to find a new job.

It hurts me so much when I see people walking for thousands of kilometres, putting their lives on the edge by crossing the sea defying all the circumstances hoping for a better future, especially when it comes to children. Lots of children don't even know why they are being put through this, lots of them die before they even find out the reason, it's kind of tragically implausible.  

The photo is taken from www.newyorker.com website 

and was PHOTOGRAPHed BY ANDREW MCCONNELL / PANOS

This photo was taken From the website below
www.maryscullyreports.com

In Sudan, there are more than 1.5 million refugees, migrated mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad, Syria and recently South Sudan. More than one-third of these refugees are now living in Khartoum, the capital city, and the rest are distributed in some other cities. Of course, their conditions are not much better than before, only they are now safer.

Sudan map bordering seven countries

        Khadija is a Chadian displaced woman from the Bargu tribe. She has three kids named: Soma, Mojahid and Shams. Last year she lost her child Ahmed, a 10 years old boy in 4th grade, who was simply and sadly neglected by a hospital in Khartoum which eventually led to his death.

Khadija works in houses as a maid. She cleans the floors, washes and irons clothes, and gets paid less than 40$ per month. Clearly, this amount of money is not enough to feed her or her children, therefore Soma left school and started working in the streets as a candy seller to gain some money to support her family. Khadija's husband Dawood is a 75-year-old disabled man. 

Despite the circumstances they are going through, she adopted Mojahid when he was a baby. Now Mojahid is 11 years old, in the 5th grade and is a very joyful and astounding boy. Khadija and her family also live in a very weak house made of boxes, papers and some torn clothes. Without exaggerations, this weak house has no susceptibility to stand against a very light rainy day. It would categorically collapse if it rained. 

Khadija washing clothes by Osama Makki

I sat with this family for about two hours, we talked about several things. Firstly I had a chat with Soma after she served me some beautiful Sudanese coffee. She said "leaving school was not a choice for me", and told me that her dream is to speak English fluently and to get into any university and complete her education, although she has only completed primary-school despite being 17 of age already. At that point I wished if I had something to offer her like money, teaching or anything but I just sat there listening to her story with empty hands. 

Then I Turned to Mojahid "the adopted kid" and I said "what about you, what do you like to do?". He said he likes playing football. I then asked him about school and the classes he takes. He said he is doing well, and that he also likes the English class, so I started examining him. I asked him to translate some words from Arabic to English, and some other questions, I was very impressed and staggered by his answers, he is a very smart kid indeed. 

Khadija's home by Osama Makki

The story does not end here, Khadiija's three nieces and her nephew also stay with her. Their ages range from 9 to 13 years and they also work in order to support their families.

Khadija's nieces by Osama Makki

Khadija by Osama Makki

After a while of talking to these kids, I turned to Khadija. She seemed to be absent-minded as if she wasn't with us at tat moment, she was kind of having her space, thinking of her children's future, afraid that they will end up like her, in this annoyingly scrimpy house. She seemed to be waiting for something. She just sat there looking at her youngest child shams, as he and his elder brother Mojahid fought over the one bicycle they have, a broken bicycle with no chain. They ride it by pushing their feet off the ground.

I was shocked and speechless. I told them some jokes to brighten the mood and we all laughed. It was then time for me to go home.

  

Shams playing with his bicycle by Osama Makki

This family went and are still going through a lot, but at the end of the day, Khadija and her family always give people a very wide smile.

Khadija's Family by Osama Makki

#Khadija_smile

#respect_to_Khadiija 

#peace_starts_with_a_smile

By Osama Hassan Makki

osamamakki@gmail.com