The Street Boys of Feina
| | Name/Age: Jafir Mohammed Buhkur, 16 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Jafir's Father died five years ago from an unknown
illness. The Janjaweed (militia) attacked his village. Everyone in his family ran to escape the attack and they are now
scattered. He has heard that his mother went back to Jawa. He has seven brothers and sisters and he is the
youngest child in the family. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Jafir was in school when the Janjaweed
attacked in the beginning of 2007. He ran to Feina and has lived there for one year.
| | Education: Jafir was in the third class (primary school) when his village
was attacked. He wants to go to school but must work to support his mother.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Jafir works in Yoseph's restaurant
in Feina. He makes tea and sends his salary
to his mother. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Jafir likes listening to stories and playing soccer. His
favorite meal is roasted meat kabob. |
| Notes: Jafir's family ran in opposite directions when their village was
attacked. He has not seen anyone in his family in over a year does not know where they are. He does not know if
anyone besides his mother is still living. He sleeps in the market on the dirt ground and has
no blanket during the cold season. |
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| Name/Age: Noradeem Ahmed Adam Isa, 8 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Noradeem's mother, Fatima, works and lives in the
market. She sleeps in the restaurant where she works. His father, Mohammad
Rhama, is in Jawa and makes bricks. He has eight brothers and sisters.
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| Reason for living in Feina: Noradeem was sitting in his classroom learning
a lesson when the Janjaweed attacked. He, and the rest of his classmates, ran for their lives. He ran to his
home (a good distance away from the school) and grabbed what he could carry and then ran with his brother to Feina.
| | Education: Noradeem was in the second class (primary school) when the
Janjaweed attacked. Currently, he is not enrolled in school and has not completed the second grade.
He wants to go back to school one day.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Noradeem works at the bread stand in
the market. Noradeem gives all of the money he makes to his mother. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Noradeem likes listening to stories and playing cards.
His favorite food is chicken kabob. |
| Notes: Noradeem is a shy and timid little boy with a precious smile. He
avoided eye contact through the majority of the interview. He does not know how to read or write Arabic,
understands little Arabic when spoken to, and can speak little back. Noradeem and his brother, Dictor, sleep on
the dirt ground in the market near where they make bread. He wakes at 5:00 a.m. to begin working. He has no
blanket during the cold season.
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| Name/Age: Alfadil Ismael Adam |
| | Residency before Feina: Derebat, Darfur |
| Family Background: Alfadil's father was murdered by the Janjaweed in the
beginning of 2007. His mother lives in Derebat with his two brothers. His brothers mend broken chairs. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Alfadil ran to Feina when the Janjaweed
attacked Derebat.
| | Education: Alfadil is currently in the sixth class (primary school). His
tuition has been paid by generous donors and people in the Feina community.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Alfadil does odd jobs for one
of the relief agencies in Feina. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Alfadil likes to play soccer and hear stories.
His favorite meal is chicken kabob. |
| Notes: Alfadil speaks Arabic well. He can read and write some Arabic.
He lives at the NGO compound where he works. Thanks to the generosity of people from America, he has a blanket
and a coat during the cold season. |
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| |
| Name/Age: Yasir Ahmed Abdula, 15 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Korey (near Jawa), Darfur |
| Family Background: Yasir's father left home five years ago to travel to
Nyala. No one has heard from him since he left and he is presumed dead. His mother resides in Korey and sells
grass and water in the market. Yasir has three brothers and sister in Korey. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Yasir came to Feina to help
support his family financially.
| | Education: Yasir has never been in school but wants to attend.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Yasir sends money to his mother to help
support his siblings. He works in the market making and selling bread. He usually wakes at 5:00 a.m. and works
until 5:00 p.m |
| Hobbies/Likes: Yasir likes to hear stories and likes to play soccer.
His favorite food is chicken kabob. |
| Notes: Yasir has not physically seen the violence from the Janjaweed.
He has seen them pass through his village. |
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| |
| Name/Age: Noradime Suleiman Adam Abdula, 17 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Leybay, Darfur |
| Family Background: Noradime's father was murdered by the Janjaweed. His
mother lives in Leybay and is very old and cannot work. He has 5 brothers and sisters and is the youngest. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Noradime came to Feina
for work after the attack.
| | Education: Noradime has education halfway through the second class
(primary school) and wants more education. He knows how to read and write Arabic.
| | Employment and Financial Situation:Noradime works in Yoseph's restaurant
in the market. He also breaks and sells stones. He usually wakes up at 5:00 a.m. to begin work. Noradime sends
the money he makes back to his mother because there is not enough food to eat.
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| Hobbies/Likes: Noradime likes to play soccer, listen to stories, and play
cards. His favorite food is asseyda. |
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| |
| Name/Age: Dictor Ahmed Adam, 14 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Dictor's father is in Jawa and his mother works and
sleeps in the restaurant she works at in the market in Feina. He has eight brothers and sisters. Noradeem is
one of his brothers.
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| Reason for living in Feina: He was in school when the Janjaweed attacked his
village. He ran and made it safely to Feina. Dictor was one of the first street boys to come to Feina.
| | Education: Dictor has finished the second class (primary school)
and wants to continue his education.
| | Employment and Financial Situation:Dictor works in the market cutting wood
for the oven and making bread. He is trying to save the money he makes to go back to school. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Dictor likes to play soccer and to hear stories. His
favorite foods are kabob and fuol. |
| Notes: Dictor has lived in Feina and worked selling bread since the
beginning of 2007. He rises between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. to get ready and begin work. Dictor can read and
write little Arabic. His biggest desire is to get back into school. |
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| |
| Name/Age: Adam Sadiq Lazim, 17 years old |
| | Residency before Feina:Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Adam's mother and father are both very old and reside
in Jawa. He has six brothers and sisters and is the oldest. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Adam was in school when the Janjaweed
attacked his village. He ran and his journey brought him to Feina.
| | Education: Adam completed the sixth class (primary school) and would like
to continue his education but does not have the financial means. He desires to finish his education.
| | Employment and Financial Situation:Adam works in the market making and
selling bread and he supports his family in Jawa with the money he earns. He wakes up between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. to
begin work. |
| Hobbies/Likes:Adam likes to listen to stories and to play soccer. His
favorite food is meat kabob. |
| Notes: Adam has been in Feina since October 2007. His family scattered
to the forest and other villages when the Janjaweed attacked. His mother and father eventually went back to
Jawa. Adam is very intelligent and his demeanor relaxed and happy. He knows how to read and write Arabic. |
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| Name/Age: Abdella Abdu-Jabar Suleyman, 16 years old |
| | Residency before Feina:Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Abdella's mother and father live in Jawa. He is the
oldest of six children in his family. His mother comes to the market every Saturday to get
the money he has earned and bring it back to Jawa to take care of the rest of the children. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Abdella was in school when the Janjaweed
attacked his village. He ran to Feina.
| | Education: Abdella was in the first class level (primary school) when his
village was attacked. He did not complete that level. He desires more education.
| | Employment and Financial Situation:Abdella works
making and selling bread in the market. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Abdella likes to hear stories and likes
to play soccer. His favorite food is chicken kabob. |
| Notes: Abdella does not know Arabic. He is light hearted and laughs a lot.
He is the "jokester" of the boys and can make them laugh at any moment. Everyone in Abdella's family ran to the
forest from the Janjaweed. They have been reunited in Jawa. |
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| |
| Name/Age: Mohammad Abdula Salam Isa, 14 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Jawa, Darfur |
| Family Background: Mohammad's mother and father
both live in Jawa. He has nine brothers and sisters. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Mohammad was in school
when the Janjaweed attacked Jawa. He ran to Feina.
| | Education: Mohammad was in the fourth level (primary school) when his
village was attacked and he has not completed it.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Mohammad takes a donkey to the river,
fills two bags with water, and sells it. He begins working at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m.
Mohammad earns $5.00 a week. |
| Hobbies/Likes:Mohammad likes to listen to stories and
play soccer. His favorite food is kabob. |
| Notes: There was no translator when for the interview with Mohammad.
Alfadil translated Arabic questions to the Fur language because Mohammad has limited Arabic, thus, there was a
huge language barrier and some of this information needs to be confirmed. The information is vague and hopefully
Mohammad will be able to give some more details in another interview. Mohammad claims to know how to read and
write limited Arabic but he could not understand any Arabic questions. This could be because
there was no real translator present. |
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| Name/Age: Haroon Isa Mohammed, 15 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Leybay, Darfur |
| Family Background: Haroon's mother was murdered by the Janjaweed. His
father was shot in the knee and has not walked in over a year. There is no medical treatment available and he can no
longer walk. Haroon is the youngest in his family of ten children. His brothers and sisters survived
the attack on Leybay. They fled to Derebat and are now beggars. He has not seen anyone in his
family in over a year.
|
| Reason for living in Feina: Feina is where Haroon stopped his run from
the Janjaweed.
| | Education: Haroon is in the third level (primary school) and has not
completed. He wants an education but can not afford one.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Haroon
earns $1.00 each week selling water. His work day starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00
p.m. He goes to the river to get water and sells it in bags. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Haroon likes to play soccer and cards. His favorite meal
is roasted chicken kabob. |
| Notes: Haroon fled to Feina early in 2007. He sleeps on the ground in the market
and has no blanket during the cold season. He cannot read or write Arabic. |
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| Name/Age: Adam Mohammed Khamis, 16 years old |
| | Residency before Feina: Tangal, Darfur |
| Family Background: Adam's father was on his way to Nyala when the Janjaweed attacked and killed him.
Adam's mother lives in Tangal but is too weak to work. He has six brothers and sisters. |
| Reason for living in Feina: Adam came to Feina to work. He gives the money he earns to his mother to help
feed the rest of his family. He has been in Feina for three months.
| | Education: Adam has never been in school but wants to attend.
| | Employment and Financial Situation: Adam works for the baker in the market. His role is to sell cooked
bread to surrounding areas outside of the market. |
| Hobbies/Likes: Adam enjoys listening to stories and playing soccer. His favorite food is meat kabob. |
| Notes: Adam sleeps on the dirt ground in the market. He wakes up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to begin
work. He wears torn and dirty clothes. He has no blanket during the cold season. He has not physically seen the violence of the
Janjaweed but knows many people affected by their brutality, including his own family after the murder of his father. |
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