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What Is War?
What is War?
War is something
that destroyed a country
What is War?
War is something
that separates family
What is war?
War is something that
destroys people’s property
What is war?
War is something that
kills and destroys happiness.
What is war?
War is something that kills
people’s hope.
What is war? War as a
Word or as a wall or a world.
What a silly word to destroy
people’s happiness and hope
separating family.
- Majaka, 12, Liberia The Most Important Person at my School
Our writing project topics: The most important person at my school is my teacher. She is important to me because she helps me a lot.
The first day of my math class I didn’t know what the homework was. I just saw the numbers and I thought that was the homework. I took it home and I just added the numbers together. The next day I took it to the class to give it to her. She told me that was not the homework.
It was the homework number. She also helps me to do the work and she told me that I could go to her anytime I need help.
She is the best teacher I have in the International High School.
- Marliyatu, 15, Sierra Leone
Where I’m From
Where I’m From
You can smell
A flower garden
From 20 miles away.
Where I’m from the
Nighttime looks like
Daytime because the
Stars shine like diamonds.
Where I’m from the morning
Time is lovely sitting by your
White piano in the beautiful
Flower garden while the bird sings
And flies over the rainbow singing
The music we call beautiful.
Where I’m from before the
War the rich people used to
Pay thousands of dollars to stay
In our beautiful community.
- Majaka, 12, Liberia
3 Wishes
If I had 3 wishes, the first one would be to wish for more wishes, if I could. The
2nd wish would be to have lots of money and have a big house, also lots of cars. My
3rd wish would be to go back in time and have a good time with my old friends and all the
things I did not do when I was little. I have more than 3 so I would wish for me to
own all the shopping malls in the United States. I would wish for me to own my own
island and also with the beach and with my own plane. I would also wish for my friend
to come and have fun with me. I wish I had a house in Paris and also to own
London. I wish I could fly. I wish I could give the homeless all homes and
money. I wish Mr. Bush would stop war and stop killing. I would wish to stop air
pollution and also to stop walking to 140 Street for lunch. I would wish to eat lunch
everywhere in the world for free. And candy would grow on trees. I wish for
different planets. I wish for snow every Christmas. I wish for Thanksgiving
every day and people would not get fat. I wish for people to have fun everyday.
Stop going to the rug. Take the elevator.
- Kadiatu, 13, Sierra Leone In my village in my home
(My old home not here)
When a baby comes into the world
And is given a name
We celebrate.
What a precious gift!
What lucky parents!
We honor you
With the party to end all parties
They dance
(Not the parents not the baby)
They dance
In their masks and in their paint
And we clap
and cheer and
embrace each other
Their bodies shine
The skin glistens and glows
In the light of the lanterns
(or torches what is the English word)
And in the light of the lanterns
(or torches what is the English word)
the beads swing from their waists
the cut ones make flashes
the smooth ones gleam
And we laugh
At the surprised mouths
And funny beaks and
confused antics of the
comic ones
The scary one
We shriek and run away
We are scared
(we pretend to be scared)
Overhung brows and angry grimace
Of the scary one
And no-one has to leave
And no-one has to go
On this night of the party to end all parties
- Felicia, 14, Sierra Leone
A Day I Will Never Forget
It was in 1998, when my father called in my country and told my mom that he is going to
try everything to get us here in the U.S.A. We was so happy to hear that we was going
to the United States, but we waited for too long that in Tanzania they threw our papers that
we was going to use and come here. In 2000 January 14 we went to Tanzania and we was
late so my father had to find the paper again. We stay in Tanzania for two years and
then we went back to my country and stay their like for three months in my Burundi. We went
back to Tanzania and we stay for one year plus the two years that makes it three years in
Tanzania without going to school, just sitting home doing nothing. In 2003 September
22, we left Tanzania and we got here in September 24.
Mom had to stay there in Tanzania because they didn’t have her paper ready for her
to come here with us. She just came in the United States. We was happy to see
all our family together at once since in 1993 when my father left come here.
- Hakeem, 15, Burundi Untitled
My mother is an important person. My mother takes care of her kids. She is serious because she is working very hard. My mother gives nice clothes to me. When I have a problem with myself or my life my mother helps me. My mother is good to me, she makes me happy and she is nice to me.
When I was going to New York my mother said to me “be brave, maybe you are going to see good people”. When I came to New York I felt good because I saw nice people. My mother was correct.
- Goundo, 15, Mali
A Day I’ll Never Forget
A day I’ll never forget is when my dad died. On that day I was in school in Sierra Leone. It happened three years ago. My sister called me on the telephone and she said my father died in an accident.
That day was my birthday, and on that day he was going with my sister to go and buy a gift for my birthday. He was crossing the street with my younger sister and the car hit him and he pushed my sister out of the way and he died. I cried when I found out.
I’ll never forget it until I die
- Mariatu, 16, Sierra Leone
What Is War?
What is War?
War is something
that destroyed a country
What is War?
War is something
that separates family
What is war?
War is something that
destroys people’s property
What is war?
War is something that
kills and destroys happiness.
What is war?
War is something that kills
people’s hope.
What is war? War as a
Word or as a wall or a world.
What a silly word to destroy
people’s happiness and hope
separating family.
- Majaka, 12, Liberia
All About Where I’m From and Me
Liberia was such a beautiful country. In 1990 my mom told me that the war was started in that year. My mom told me people lose their family and homes. The territory destroyed our country like ants or animals. My mom said before the war neighbors used to have a familly pact and help each other with their problems, and have a meeting to see what they might change about their community. Going to them was one of the best things. The sands, they was hot! It was so beautiful. My mom said before I was born the war came. She went to another country which is Sierra Leone, where she met my father. After a while she was pregnant and then she had a baby which was me in 1993. Then she used to do farming and selling crops etc. Then in 1996 she was pregnant which was my brother. Then she heard that Liberia was getting better, my mom went back to Liberia to start her new life. My mom was happy again. After awhile the war was back then my mom went back to Sierra Leone. When we were going back to Sierra Leone the war was getting worse. No one was on the street and no one was outside. If you want to go to another country you have to walk through the bush. When we got back to Sierra Leone my dad was not there. From that day on I did not see or hear about him. In 2002 the war was all over. But Liberia was not the same as it used to be. Before at night all the neighbors used to sit together while the stars shines like diamond. Eating snacks and kids playing all over. But after the war many people lose their family and parents. So everyone was scared to go out they thought the territory might come back.
- Majaka, 12, Liberia
Untitled
This is Mohamed. My first day in the school when I didn’t speak English people bothering me. People cursed at me. I had been in that school for 3 months I learned English a little bit. One person cursed at me. I cursed at him. He told some people to curse me. He curse me. I cursed him. One day we went gym. My friend try to fight him. I told my friend to leave him. My friend leave him. One day we go to play basketball. He called me let’s play basketball. I say I didn’t have to play basketball and after that I get a lot friends in the school. Nobody cursed me and nobody bothering me. We stood outside. We cold together.
- Mohamed, 15, Mali
My First Day in this Country
My first day in this country was not easy for me or my parents. When I came here to the U.S.A., there was so much light and everything was shining. I couldn’t stop looking around because in my country, Guinea, they don’t have light everywhere like here. I was wishing to see the president and some of the famous people because I thought I might be famous one day like them, but I don’t want that dream anymore because it is too much drama. One day my father took me out and around. I was so happy and almost got hyper. When we got to downtown, there was light everywhere. I told my father that he should not call me African anymore because I am in the U.S. now. My father was laughing at stupid villager. The next day we went to the Statue of Liberty. It was so tall and big that I could never imagine. My mouth was open like lion who’s hungry everyday. I ask my father that why the Statue is in the middle of the ocean? He said don’t ask me, ask the president. I was like I could even ask the president “wow.” He look at me and start to laugh. I told him that you should not be laughing, you don’t even know nothing about this country. Ha Ha Ha.
- Masiame, 15, Liberia
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(June 2006) Many children and teens who come to the United States as refugees have not only lost homes and loved ones but also have had their education interrupted by war.
Each summer, an International Rescue Committee program in New York City gives them a chance to catch up on math and language skills as well as sports, theater and art. This "summer camp" provides a safe and nurturing environment where they can make friends and feel free to share painful experiences. For many, it's their first time in a formal school setting.
These snapshots, poems, essays and stories from last year’s session offer a glimpse into these kids’ lives and hopes.
For information about this year's program, e-mail nycyouthprogram@theIRC.org. | |
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