The Children of War Here

Childhood – A time of no responsibilities, worries or thoughts of tomorrow. A time where not skinning one’s knee or colouring inside the lines are the biggest obstacles in life. Most of us would gladly go back to those simpler times. But for some, childhood is a battlefield. Quite literally. They have to trade in their innocence and freedom for maturity and survival. Children are the future of the world, but for some, their own future is uncertain. This Children’s Day, let’s see the world through their eyes. This is the story of those overlooked children and their bravery and how they manage to smile, despite fighting for their survival everyday. Displaced by the Syrian War, Absi is a 10 year old who lives in Irbid, Jordan. At his age, probably everybody liked playing truant from school, but this little, innocent looking refugee has to do it to support his mother and sisters, in the absence of his father. He works 10-12 hours as a parking lot attendant everyday to earn 2 Jordanian diners, barely enough to keep his family afloat. The happiest moment in his life happened when his teacher told his employer that he was absenting from school to work at the garage. His employer decided to give him a raise, only if he attended school. Absi wants to become a teacher and create a better world than the one he grew up in. Despite suffering from a physical disability and being a refugee kid in a foreign land, Baker is as stubborn as any five year old child can be. His adamant demands of going to school at a charitable foundation just go to show his resilience against a disease that does not allow him to walk. The treatment for Baker’s disability should have started three years ago, but the war in Syria reached his house and neighborhood, forcing his family to flee. Baker hopes to be a sports teacher when he grows up and enjoys cheering on his classmates as they play. Lana Ahmad Hourieh and her brother Abdulsalmouh are your average teenagers, except for 2 facts. They are Syrian refugees surviving in Lebanon and they are extremely talented chess prodigies. Unlike usual sibling rivalries, theirs takes place over the chessboard. They have been playing since eight, and now chess has become an integral part of their lives as well as a coping mechanism. They are shy kids, adjusting to a new environment and the game has been their liberation. While for Lana chess is a way to calm down, Abdul likes chess because he can use it to defeat his peers and his sister. However, Lana is not one to back down easily either and the brother-sister duo continue excelling at the game and finding a new life, amidst their challenges. Jannatul is a five year old whose name translates to “heaven”, but her life is anything but that. This little lady is a Rohingya refugee, who had to flee Myanmar with her mother and settle down in Bangladesh. Like any regular toddler, Jannatul loves eating fruits mostly because mangoes and jackfruits remind her of her homeland. While it is easy to get lost in the world’s largest refugee camp, Jannatul has found a home amidst victims of war and desolation. She enjoys going to school and reading books. Her favourite part is picture books and she spends hours colouring inside and outside the lines, painting this grim world with her shades of happiness and innocence. While in our nation 14th November is for celebrating childhood, a lot of kids around the world do not get to even live their childhood. They do not know the comfort of a home or the security of a school. Yet somehow, they have the same innocence and curiosity sparkling in them. Some find it in chess, some in colouring books. This Children’s Day, let us celebrate and remember these refugee children, who despite their hardships, make the most of their childhood. Here’s to hoping for a Happy Childrens Day!