Redwan Adalat - Humans of Kurdistan

in Humans of West

“24 years ago, I lost my right leg in a car accident, and my life changed forever. It's very difficult to lose a leg. After getting married and having kids, I had to work every day of the year, and I was doing something different every season so that we live comfortably and my kids can go to school. During the Summer, I help my wife making jam and sweets and we sell them to people on demand. However, I do different works during the Winter, I clean other house's AC system for a small fee. A year ago, I wasn't home and my son had turned on the gas, the house was completely burnt down, but thankfully no one was hurt. Back then, my friends and neighbors all helped me get back to track, my neighbors mean the world to me because they have helped me a lot. The house we live in belonged to my father, it now belongs to my brothers and I. They wanted to build a building here and go live in apartments, but I cannot walk upstairs, and cannot do my work if I were to live in an apartment so I told them to leave the house, and they agreed”. ...

Mar 12 2021

March 12, 2021

in Humans of East

“When I was introduced to life I was in a nationalistic society, my surroundings were speaking about our mother tongue, a free nation, and human rights and freedom. All of these were difficult concepts for me, and I couldn't understand any of it until I participated in Newroz celebrations; when I was repeating the Kurdish anthem after Hasan Zirak. Right then, I realized that my veins were in need for mother tongue, a free country, human rights and individual freedom. Since that day, I have been living with the hope that we will achieve those things one day. The best time of my life as a Kurdish girl would be when my country is free”. ...

Mar 11 2021

March 11, 2021

“I was born in Hanara village and I still live there. I have been married for 7 years, I was only 18 when I got married, and we have two kids now. I have never been to school, and I can't write; I can't even write my kids' name along with mine. When I see people writing, then I realize the mistake I have made not going to school. I wish I could read and write now. Maybe I could have worked somewhere if I was literate. However, now when I think of it, I either have to be shepherd or a farmer until I die. I have hope for my kids, and I always tell their mother to help them in their education. I don't want them to become like me because I truly see myself as deaf and unable to speak at some places”. ...

Mar 10 2021

March 10, 2021

“I was born in 1967 in Akre. I have spent 31 years (half of my life) selling coffee in markets and streets. I first started differently in Mousil. I had people's attention in the area, I had a portable coffee machine and was always serving it hot. If you take a look at it, it has two sides, one for bitter coffee and the other for sweet coffee because everyone has their own tastes in here and even in Mousil. I worked 9 years in Mousil and then came to Kurdistan. I first tried working in Duhok, it was very new there, I was selling hot coffee in Winter on the streets”. “I was making sus in the Summer, and I was using natural ingredients from Kurdistan to make it. I was getting the ingredients from tree roots near river shores. There was a high demand on it because people used it as medicine for their stomachs or diabetes. After several years in Duhok I went back to Akre, and I now work 3 or 4 hours in the streets to make a living for myself and my family, and I have made a lot of friends working. If I don't show up every day to provide sus and coffee to my customers, they'll call me to see if something is wrong”. ...

Mar 09 2021

March 9, 2021

in Humans of East

“In the old days, we spent all of our time working, life now has become much better for women, let alone for men. Life is generally easier. My brother was martyred and my son was killed, and that was very difficult for me. Sudden death is usually much harder to deal with, in particular my son's passing was the most difficult. He was playing with one of his friends, they had a gun and it accidentally went off. He has a wife and two sons. Since we are sure that the whole thing was an accident, we are in good terms with the family of his friend. My brother lost his life stepping on a mine. These have been very difficult for us. Nevertheless, as long as I stand on my feet and age doesn't defeat me, I'll be okay because I don't want to be a burden on my children. During the past few years there have been many senior people that aren't able to walk anymore and spend their days on a bed”. ...

Mar 08 2021

March 8, 2021

in Humans of West

“When I was seven years old, my mother taught me how to do hand crafting, that was about 28 years ago. Back then, I was helping my mom to learn more, but when I was 15 I learned completely. Hand crafting is usually done by people from the villages, and not the cities. Hand crafting helps me financially, despite the fact that it helps me mentally. I am married and have two sons, I will also teach them once they grow up, so they can pass it on to their children. I have already taught some of my neighbors and relatives and friends. I wish this tradition stays alive for a long time. My mother can't work right now because she has gotten old and can't see well. I currently have participated in an exhibition, and I am very happy that I have”. ...

Mar 07 2021

March 7, 2021

“I have been working in this tea house for 50 years. Shaab tea house is a very beautiful memorial for my father and Sulaimani in general, I work here daily with my brothers. This tea house has become the source of a living for us, and is considered as a hub for educated people in Sulaimani. We try for the place to be more than just a tea house, we try to make it a place for gathering for writers and artists. We have turned the walls into a museum to exhibit the famous people of the city. We have a library that benefits many people. It is a very nice feeling that Shaab tea house is always associated with Sulaimani city. On Fridays, artists and politicians visit us and take photos. As long as I live, I will work at this house, I will continue working here because it is like a second house for me”. ...

Mar 06 2021

March 6, 2021

“If I don't open my shop for one day, it'll immediately affect my mental health. I have never been to school and have started selling fish since I was 13. I remember that I was working for a Yezidi man, they used to bring the fish from Duhok, and I was selling them here, until I opened my own shop. We are 9 family members, and our living relies on fish. After my shop's success, my father, brother, and brother in law joined me as well. Currently, my father and brother take fish and sell them in the villages around Barda Rash area. Thankfully, we have credibility among people. Because I have been working with fish for as long as I remember, I can recognize where they are from immediately, I can also recognize the different types of fish. Currently, the most demanded fish is the Red fish (Sora Masi), which we bring from Fishkhapur in Duhok. I can never leave my job because it is now a part of my life”. ...

Mar 05 2021

March 5, 2021

in Humans of West

“I am 18 and I am the oldest of my brothers. Ever since I remember, I have been a shepherd because my father and my grandfather also have done the same thing. I have never been to school because our village never had a school, and it still doesn't have one. I hope one day a school opens here so when I get married and have children, my children to school. I rarely go to the city, and when a friend of mine goes for school in the city I get really upset because I am illiterate. However, there's nothing I can do about it, so I raise my cattle and make a living for my family by selling their products, such as milk, fur and meat. We had a rainless year, even until today it hasn't rained enough, we are almost in Spring and grass hasn't grown. This has damaged us very badly because we had to buy food for our sheep, and I have sold half of them to afford it”. ...

Mar 04 2021

March 4, 2021

“I was a little kid when I started this work, I started cleaning kitchen tiles first. I will never forget the day that I was promoted to clean the dishes. I was so small that I couldn't reach the sink and I had to use a plank to elevate myself. I kept going through all those difficulties until I became a chef. I have been a chef for eight years now, and what I know is a product of all those past years. Thank God that I have a good salary now. Every day I prepare food for 80 people, and not once anyone has had a negative comment about my food, that makes me really happy. I help making food at home as much as I can. I hope that I get married one day and I can cook with my wife”. ...

Mar 02 2021

March 2, 2021