VOF Week 2: (The Power of education)

Nothing exciting in my story, except the STRUGGLE to live my dream: education. I was born in a farmer family in central Sudan. Don't ask me when that was. I am still young. My parents were illiterate. I have six brothers and one sister called Leila.

My village was deprived all facilities. Up to now. The nearest school was 7 km far away. In order to get there, the donkey was the only means of transportation. Sarcastically, the donkey was more important than the student. School attendance depended mainly on the donkey's health. Only boys are allowed education. Thanks to Allah I went to school. An incident put me on the right track of education.

An uncle of mine, Decided to have his sons educated. So he shifted to the nearby town. Before leaving, from each of his six brothers he took the elder sons with him, thus they could go to school where they learned to read and write. Two of them were my elder brothers. Shortly, my family followed. In this way the door was left ajar and I stepped in.

At that time, education was males' priority. My parents were not exception. They were not very enthusiastic to send me to school. Denied this right, they didn't know the value of education and change it produced. Instead, they wanted me to stay home and help my mother with home daily routine. I was then seven years. Still remember how I resisted the decision. Screaming, crying and shouting were major and effective tools. Not only that, I asked one of relative male to teach me the Arabic alphabet. He did. I was very keen to let my parents know how I could spell some words. They got the message. They sent me to school with major goal to get rid of me screaming and, to achieve basic literacy and numeracy. Later, they were grateful and thankful to allow educated.

Thus I joined the school. Hesitating, unsure of what was getting my self into, I pushed the door ajar and stepped in. till I finished grade 9 there was no electricity in my house. I managed not to complain. Quite sure of one thing; I was escaping a destiny, and, I had to tailor my own future. I fought against poverty, early marriage, imposed type of employment, etcetera. Followed my heart, it didn't fail me. I made it! I decided the way of life I have to follow. Since then, interference in my life and decision diminished gradually.

Education took me to venture new places, minds, cultures and ways of life. From the depth of the Sudanese country, I flew to France, country of equality, fraternity and freedom, where I spent an academic year in the University of Lyon II Lumiere in France.

I admit Pulsewire has given me the chance to head towards new horizons, minds, and cultures. Stories told by voices of our future correspondents inspire to narrate mine, share passion, dreams and ambitions with the world.