Farah Emaad

My name is Farah Emaad . I am 13 years-old and I’m in eighth grade. I was born and raised in Iraq but now I live with my dad and mom in Syria. We all left Iraq in 2005 because of the security situation, which was real bad. I remember when one day a gang kidnapped my teacher and five of my friends outside the school as they were going to their homes. I saw this accident when I was 9 years old. I was frightened, while running to my home I was crying, when I arrived to my home I hag my mom, and I told her what happen while crying and shaking. I stopped going to the school after that.The other story happen with my mom, while going to her work. She was wounded when an explosion took place close to where she was. She had to stay in the hospital for about 100 days.All of these stories make my family take the decision to leave Iraq. We registered with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees or the UNHCR as refugees, we looking for resettlement in any country so that we can live in peace.My hope to be policeman, because it requires hard work and I like that. But other than that I like soccer, basketball and I like to listen to music.

The Test!

So, I needed to find out if my efforts teaching the Iraqi refugee kids how to use computers are fruitful. I sat up an examination for them.

Last week, I had the first test and it went very well. The "students" were very excited to compete with each other for higher grades. One of the kids actually cried when she got 8/10. When I saw that, I thought about how much these kids care about studying and learning even when they are this traumatized!

As I asked questions and got the right answers, I felt pleasure that I am doing the right thing although with many difficulties. I mean, considering the fact that I have no single chair, not enough computers or a blackboard, this is an achievement.

However, a few weeks ago, I went to one of the Syrian educational institutes and asked them if they have anything to help with. Eventually, they donated a few computer handouts, which were really helpful. So, things are not too bad at the end.

Who will put a smile on their faces?

Sometimes, my family and friends ask me why I do what I do. My answer is that the smile on kids' faces is valueless.

Last week, I started a new class of 8 students, two sessions a week. In the past I couldn't do this alone. But now there's an English woman volunteering with me to teach Iraqi kids. She was excited to meet with the students. On that day, she was waiting for me outside while it was raining heavily. Her clothes were all wet and she was using a scarf as an umbrella. Helen, whose last name shall remain anonymous, came with me and met the eight students as well as their families as we discussed with the kids the subjects they want to learn.

My students enjoyed meeting Helen, the new teacher, very much. She made them feel there are people who care about them.

For Fatma

Few days ago, a friend of mine arrived from the United States to Damascus to do some work. While we were meeting with someone, I received a text message from my sister in Baghdad informing me that my other sister had a baby. They named her Fatma. I was very happy and I wanted to share my happiness with my friend. I also wanted to share with him my frustration since I was missing everybody so much. My friend, of course, was excited for me that he wrote a poem on the birth of Fatma. However, I wanted to share with everybody this poem.


A child is born in a country flooded with tears
where rivers of blood have overflowed their banks.
A country that knows its share of shock
but little of the awe that was promised it.
A child is born amidst the rubble
delivered by nations a world away.
Where ignorant men smirk and say shit happens
as thugs and madmen crush beauty
and ancient mysteries are lost forever.
A child is born as an occupying army
watches hell takes its place on earth
and drills and hammers and batteries
and water, glorious water, become the tools
of the devil among men.
A child is born amidst the screams of the tortured
and the sadistic glee of their torturers.
A child is born in a country flooded with the bodies of the dead
discarded in soccer fields, markets, on roadsides or trash heaps.
A child is born and half a world away
I hear her cry, I am Iraqi
My people, my culture live on in me.
A child is born in a country on fire,
her mother cradles her close to her breast
And hope is resurrected from the ashes.

The crises continue

It has been "quite" here these days. Schools has started now. Some of the Nationwithoutanative kids went to school here. Some others could not. So they return back to Iraq. I can see why they went back. They tried to find hope for future in long time here but they couldn't. Especially after they spent their savings. It's not easy to return back when it is still unsafe which means they had more serious crises and hardships.

From time to time I go to visit Iraqi families. I listen to what they have to say. Then leave them without any answer for I don't know what the answer is myself. I can't do anything for them but I still feel it is good to listen to them. It is easier sometimes to talk to the young about hope.

Anything new with me?
I stay here, don't move forward or backward. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. No chance to study or chance to go back to Iraq. No chance to work or live a safe life. it's very difficult to wait for the unknown for it might be worse than today. Then I would regret the time thinking about tomorrow.

First Time

This is their first time being in an internet cafe ever. I took them to try internet cafes computers after 7 sessions of training. They were amazed by the experience
It's first one for them to try the internet, after 7 times to study about the computer. As you see in the pictures, they are very curious to learn more. They are really smart kids.
I am hoping to be able to get some financial support to bring them to the internet cafe more often , and to increase the number of kids taking these classes. Please, if you like to support this project, donate a computer or $ to .....

Class To Teach Iraqi Kids

The 30th of July,2008, is the first day of class to teach Iraqi kids how to use the computer. I expect they will enjoy it and quickly understand.
I fell glad to help them. hopefully, we can compensate them for the dark days they suffered, even if only a little bit . I will teach them at their homes , where I can use my computer to teach the student.
Though I should have four computers for this project . it's difficult to work without support .

The main problems I face is that I'll need a long time to teach them because they don't have computers , and because they live in different areas.

Five years now... Iraqi Artists in Exile

Under the title "Five years now... Iraqi Artists in Exile" the French Cultural Center with cooperation with Unites Nations High Commissioner for Refugees sponsored an event marking the fifth anniversary for the occupation of Iraq. Iraqi Artists carried out the event and perform music and clown shows. From my side, I was able to coordinate with one of the volunteers at the center and reserve seats for Nativewithoutanation kids.

The event was of two parts; one in the morning for kids where Iraqi clowns drew a smile on the children faces. The one in the afternoon was for adults. I was able to get the youth to get into that too. Iraqi musicians and singers from all parts of Iraq played very nice Iraqi music. It was a very nice day.

The event took place on April 4th

UNHCR LOGO

Six months ago, I went to the UNHCR, The United Nations High Commission for Refugees to see if they can help with my stay in Syria after my visa almost expired. They told me that they can't do anything to help me. Since then I have been facing many obstacles even in doing the simple daily life needs. Then I felt like doing this to the UNHCR logo.

Firas Majeed

When Saddam was in power, my family were poor because of the sanctions and because our government didn't do that much to make it better for the people. My family consists of 9 people. It was only my father who was working while my mother took care of us. When I was in eights grade, I decided to quit so that I can work and help my father as I was the older man among my siblings. Of course, I regret it now but at the time, I just had to do it.

Because I couldn't finish my school, I was enlisted to compulsory serve in the army for four years. It was a devastating experience. I complete it but turned into different person. I became stronger but depressed about everything around me. I was lucky there wasn't any war then. I decided that I must work very hard now. Moving from one small job that didn't pay enough to another dirty and dangerous job that paid better but still not enough, I owned a small grocery for my own. That way I was able to help my family better.

After the war on Iraq "ended" in 2003, I thought of resuming my studies that I couldn't finish during Saddam Hussein regime. But 2003, my father had cancer and I had to spend about 2 years and a half with him during his treatment period until he a little bit became better. I also had to spend all the $ that I worked very hard to earn and save for my studies. So it is like I woke up one day with no money, no education, no safety, and above all, no home. I had to leave under extremely hard circumstances. I don't even know how to explain it. All I know is that to stay alive was the most important thing to think of.

At the end of 2005, the security situation in Iraq had worsened very badly. I decided to leave Iraq and live outside my home country. I tried to continue my school education again in Syria; a dream followed me for a long time. It was hard to do so since I didn't have school credentials, a major problem for a lot of Iraqi students who left Iraq after the invasion. Getting my credentials will cost me a lot of money which I can't afford.

About the computer learning seminars; I know for a fact that not many Iraqis have computers here in Syria. The majority of Iraqis can't afford to buy them. However, Iraqi are eager to learn about computers and how to benefit from it especially considering the fact that internet has become an essential and cheap way of communications between families, relatives and friends out and inside Iraq! Plus internet has become the only window to the outside world that Iraqis could use. The availability of internet cafes is good in some areas but the service is monitored by an admin in the café, and a lot of websites are blocked including the voice chat and web cam in most of the cafes in Damascus. The reasons for this are unknown to me. I rely on one internet café that we befriend with the owner and sometimes we pay him extra $ to let us use the webcams so that we see our families and they can see us. Sigh… I miss my family very much.

Education in Syria is public for both Syrians the Iraqis yet this applies only to the elementary and the high schools. Colleges for Iraqis are not free. We would have to pay a lot of money. Most Iraqi families can't afford to get their children to private colleges in Syria. This is a quiet a problematic situation for the Iraqi youth who left Iraq suddenly during their college and university studies. They had no other options but to quit schools and to face the unknown. Most of them were forced to leave Iraq while they were in their last year or third year in college, leave Iraq without their education certificates. In addition to all that and even if you had the money and credentials, you still have to spend more money for tutors as education system is not as good as the one in Iraq.

Questions from Kelly Martin, Collinsville IL

Kelly Martin from Collinsville high school sent these questions via email for Firas, Ahmed and Alaa (whose friends in Damascus call him David).

Kelly: Do many people have their own computers, or are many internet cafes?
Firas: From my perspective not too many Iraqis have PCs here in Syria, the majority of Iraqis can't afford to buy PCs, and however, Iraqi people are eager to learn about PCs and how to benefit from it especially from the internet!
The internet for the Iraqis become their only window to the outside world, they consider this service as the only way to communicate with their friends, relatives, beloved, parents….etc, who live in Iraq and other countries, the availability of internet cafes are good in some areas but the service are monitored by an admin in the café, and a lot of facilities are blocked including the voice chat and web cam in most of the cafes in Damascus, the reasons for this are unknown to me.

Kelly: What do you spend your days doing?
Ahmed: I spent most of my days reading E-books and self education myself, communicating with my friends via internet is daily activity.

Kelly: I'm sorry to hear that your Iraq credentials are holding you back from continuing your studies. Do you believe that you will be able to receive them eventually and resume your formal education?
David: In regard to my school papers, I can't go to the area I used to live in because I and my family are threatened to be killed if we go back. And I am very sad about this. Years are passing away. My peers are in their last year in high school and I am still in my tenth grade. I can't finish my studies because of those threats. I can't wait to pursue my study for it is my ambition.

New Flag

How I said goodbye

We read and write about families disassembly , but we can't imagine how or why it happens. I'm talking about Iraqi culture, I don't know if that happens in other cultures or not?

A lot of Iraqis including myself, used to have dinner with our families and talk about what happens to each other's day. When I talked, my family would start laughing, because I have a good sense of humor especially when it comes to my family.

Now I can't do that anymore because I'm displaced from my home and have to face my dark destiny under the hostility of being a refugee. My family is pleased that I am out of Iraq even though I am not happy here. They are just happy to know that I won't face the destiny of my lost uncle who became a victim of sectarian conflict, where he was killed in an awful way and his body has been chucked in the swamp and nobody found his body for eight months. One day his family found the picture of his dead body in a hospital,

It isn't the end of the tragedy, I lost my cousin too, it was at noon when his family were gathering for lunch, his kids, wife, and a guest (his mother), suddenly a knock on the door is heard, the mother says "I will open the door", when she opened it, she saw a militia men, they told her "we want to talk with your son and don't worry it's just one hour of investigation and he will come back to you", she starts crying and begging, even kissed their feet. She's an 80 years old lady. They start kicking her, when her son saw that he could not hold himself and he hurries out shouting "here I'm, do not hurt my mom", they handcuffs him and shovel him in the trunk of their car. One hour later, the family was informed that their householder's body was found dumped in the garbage. These and many other families are being forced to dissemble. They were just forced to the same way I am forced to leave my family, home and life.

Price of the freedom

This picture shows my brother-in-law; Riadh who told me about "freedom". He told me that we can't get freedom easily, that it need a lot of time maybe a very long time, he told me about the people of Iraq who were killed every day without any reason. He said that they are the price of the freedom and he assured me that one day this killing will stop.

He is optimistic as you can see in the picture while he vote to what he wanted in the elections in 2005, he appears happy. It's a new thing to the Iraqi people to feel the "democracy".

He sent me a message saying (happy New Year) a day before the New Year.

On January 1st 2008, Riadh was at a funeral ceremony of one of his friends when a suicider with an explosive belt exploded himself in the crowd 15 minutes after Riadh's arrival.

Riadh is not going to see the freedom he told me about. He became the price of that freedom.

I want you all to tell me now, how much is price of freedom?... Who is selling it? Are we obliged to buy it?

Baghdad

this is baghdad it's very nice before the war