…Cairo stories – Suliya

Suliya | Sewing

Sewing!

Sewing what bring me here.

You know, my mother she could make anything. She was best seamstress in the village. And I used to help her. My father, a farmer, he work on a land two hundred kilo, far from Luxor, but then my mother die, and I could not live with my father. And, uh, we don’t have money for the dowry, you know, to get married.

But, he send me to my mother’s sister in Cairo. I live with her in Basatian… Basatian is a lot of people, you know, very crowded. But the work, the work is very good. l start in embroidery. So I was twelve years old living in Cairo, and have my own money! Because you know, my aunt, give me money.

I want to go back to school, because I left when I was seven to help my mother. But to go to school in Cairo you need ID, and I get ID where? I cannot read.

And then, I get sick. The operation my aunt do for me, make bleed. And then, make infection. And very hot, high fever.l was going to die. So my aunt bring me here.In a beg inning, she worry. But after they see me… I did very good.

I am very good now.

So Sewing!

Sewing is what bring me here.And is what save my life! The doctor here help me get ID, too… And now I am in school.

I don’t know what I want to be, maybe a doctor, maybe fashion designer… I don’t know.

You know, the future is ahead of me… You know?