“When the soldiers came to our village there was a lot of killing. My own father was killed. Those of us who were left decided that we had to leave the village and go to Bangladesh. It was the rainy season, so the way was wet and slippery. Many people twisted their ankle or fell along the rough pathway.   There were some days when we had no food at all. At night we would make a little shelter from the jungle branches to keep out some of the rain and put leaves down on the ground for our bed. It took us 15 days to travel to Bangladesh. 

We arrived with nothing and we took shelter with others in the mosque. Some very kind people brought us food to eat. After a few days, we received a shelter kit from ADRA and built a small tent house. Later, ADRA built this shelter for us. It is much better, and we are comfortable here. 

I never thought that I would be a refugee.  I miss my home, I miss my school. In the morning I go to the ADRA Child Friendly Space so that I can be with some of the other kids my age.  We play games, we learn songs and poems, there are toys, and it is just nice to have a place to go where you can be with other kids in a place that is safe and dry. ADRA gives us some snacks and treats every day. 

The girls like to skip, using a rope that we have found. ADRA provided us with some toy cooking pots that we play with and we have come up with some games that we play using stones.

In the afternoon I go to the school at the mosque to learn Arabic. In the late afternoon, if there is any homework to do, I do that and then sleep. 

This whole last year I have been looking for some of my friends from my school. I have not been able to find anyone that I knew from my village. I hope that they are somewhere…that they are still alive.

If I was able to talk to kids in Canada and have a chance to tell them what it is like to be a refugee, I would say that it is kind of rough! There is no way to get much of anything. It is hard to get any new clothes, books, or toys…even getting enough food to eat is sometimes a problem. Sometimes you get sick here and there is not much you can do about that.

It is my hope and dream to one day go back to school and to one day become a teacher.

I want to say thank you to ADRA and all the people who have helped my family with this shelter, the cooking supplies and the Child Friendly Place to go and play. Thank you so much!”