Humans of South - Humans of Kurdistan

“If you are born blind, you'll get used to it easier, but I believe that God won't put anything in your way unless it's written for you. Also, whether you're disabled or not, you'll leave this life, but it's important to stay faithful until you die. Thank God for the time that I could see, during my young ages, I had never hurt anyone and even until I was married my life had been pretty great, and once I lost my sight, I trained myself to recognize the things around me. I met many people while I was working, I recognize some people just by hearing their voices. In 1976, I was serving in the army with someone, we lost contact for forty years, and the moment I heard him I recognized him. I also had a classmate three years ago, we met again a while ago and I instantly recognized him by his voice”. “I go to the mosque in the morning, and go back home and take a shower, I never wake anyone to change my clothes, and I can also shave and take my clothes with me to the shower. I can even recognize which piece of clothing is which. True, it's been a long time since I've lost my sight, but I can still recognize colors, I know that in fall leaves turn yellow, and they turn green in the spring. I know what's red and what's white, and I can also recognize things by touching them. I also dream like I did before losing my sight. For example, I had met a gentleman wearing a suit, and I still see him in my dreams, or I had seen a woman wearing Kurdish clothes, and I still see her in my dreams. I still have my sight in my dreams, and see everything as they used to be. After losing my sight, my boys have gotten married, I always ask what they look like, and they answer by saying that the look like a certain person. My memory is pretty good, I can go on the street and walk and I wouldn't need anyone”. ...

Jan 13 2021

January 13, 2021

“I have overcome many obstacles in my athletic career, despite the fact that women have significantly less freedom than men in a city like Akre. Even my brothers didn't want me to continue, but my father's support helped me even go out of Akre and play for clubs in Hawler. Coming to Hawler was very good for me, I was able to learn Sorani dialect and got to marry a man from Koya. From the beginning, I was very nervous about how my husband feels about me playing sports. However, I was relieved when my father in law brought me athletic clothes and shoes as a gift. I didn't understand that it was a gift right away, but my husband said that it meant that he was a supporter of mine and would like me to continue”. ...

Jan 09 2021

January 9, 2021

“I have a shop and I sell walking sticks, and I'm the only one who works here. Even though I'm getting very old, I have never used a walking stick and I don't own one. I see many old people come and buy walking sticks for themselves, I sympathize with them and I can feel how unpleasant it must be. I have used it several times just to see how it feels, it feels truly unpleasant. It doesn't feel particularly good to have a lifeless stick as a friend forever. I constantly thank God that I have good health and I have never needed a walking stick. Even though it's my job to sell these sticks and that's how I make a living, but I always pray that no one ever needs them. I also want to advise people to use their legs and try to walk as much as possible, and avoid using walking sticks if possible”. ...

Jan 07 2021

January 7, 2021

“I was employed at the Forest Police Department in Qaradagh in 2003. I loved my job because I love the nature. Our area was populated with Chukar and Francolins, I was arresting anyone who hunted them so I wouldn't allow that beautiful nature to be ruined. Unfortunately, I have gotten into a lot of trouble with people in power because the hunters were usually their relatives. So, I had to quit my job and I now just keep animals. I still love the nature, and anyone who tries to ruin it I will do what's in my power to stop them, and if I can't do anything, I will call the police. I have never let any relative of mine to hunt around here. Too bad everyone now lives in the city and the villages have become empty, people think that you can only make a living in the city. If you can keep 10 animals, it will be enough to live your life. Despite of that, keeping animals and farming will help the economic infrastructure of our country”. ...

Jan 03 2021

January 3, 2021

“I'm 11. Since my father is ill and cannot get out of his bed, my brother and I have to take the responsibility to feed our family. It's not easy to be a shepherd, but when you must find a way to make a living, you'll have to do anything. I do get tired everyday out there, but I'm still happy that we can take care of ourselves and we don't need anyone. Every day when I go home and see my mother and father in good health, I forget all of my pain and tiredness. The most important thing is that my siblings and I are all still in school, and I have hope that we can secure a good future for ourselves and finally get out of village life”. ...

Jan 01 2021

January 1, 2021

“I am baffled by how some people wish Saddam Hussein was back on TV. People who have not lived in the Baath regime era doesn't know how savage they were. In 41 years of my life living in that era, I did not spend one day being happy. Killings, beatings, and Anfal were all I saw. Even the end of the regime was bad for me. When we ran away my leg broke, and my sons transported me using a trolley from Chamchamal to Byara. I still suffer from my leg being broke and I can't walk. Thankfully, we passed that era and now we live freely in our land with our own government and we can speak our language, that's the most important thing for me. Even though all of my life is waisted and I'm old now, but my life now is much better than it used to be. The only thing that makes me sad is seeing all those women being killed daily. I don't understand what women could do to deserve that”. ...

Dec 28 2020

December 28, 2020

“Being and ambulance was a childhood dream for me. I think it's a blessing to be able to save someone's life. Thankfully, I have been doing this job for six years, I now work at the health center of Warte town. I have thanked the people of Balakayati many times, they have helped me by clearing the way while transporting a patient, even though there are some drivers who panic when they hear the sirens and clear the way slowly, but what pains me is that there are some unaware people who don't feel responsible, they won't clear the way and they even race with me at times. Imagine the car behind you driving fast to save somebody's life. I really hope people stop doing that, so that ambulance drivers can drive the patients to the hospital even if it's minutes faster. Believe me when I say that not minutes, but seconds are important to me as an ambulance driver, at times seconds are not a short time to save someone's life”. ...

Dec 26 2020

December 26, 2020

“I finished my education without having much fortune and had to work while in school. I have had a lot of difficulties in my life, but I have been able to stand it all just so I can have a better future. I will never forget the first time I received a salary, the feeling is indescribable because I was holding on to a thread in life. Life has changed a lot now, many things have even gotten harder. I used to think about how I can make my life better with the salary I had, but I was never able to put some of that money away for the future. One day at work, they brought in a young man who had committed suicide because of an argument with his father, and when I saw his car keys still attached to him, wearing expensive clothes and cologne, right there I realized that money doesn't buy you happiness.” ...

Dec 22 2020

December 22, 2020

“Kurdish Jamdani and hat are an important part of my job, as well as an important part of our culture. My father started this job in the nineties, and then was handled by my brother, and now I do the same work. We have many different types of Jamdani, some of which is for the younger people to wear with clothes, and the older models are for older people. There is another type that is famous among tourists. In 2003, when the Americans came, they were buying Jamdanis and were taking them back home. A lot of the time we see our products in social media that was published in other countries saying they have bought these products in Kurdistan, and that makes is very happy”. ...

Dec 21 2020

December 21, 2020

“When I was young, I was doing contracting work with a nephew of mine, for 7 dinars per day, and some days we were transporting goods, I was taking grapes from Shadala to beyond Kirkuk. I spent all of my youth working, but I felt like the world was mine. I got married in an old traditional way (exchanging brides). The distance between Homarqawm and Shadala is about half an hour. I built a home for us, but when my wife passed away, there was not much to live for. I don't have the same energy anymore. I had everything when she was with me, but lost everything when she passed away”. ...

Dec 19 2020

December 19, 2020