Announcement
H.M. and her family.
By Audrey Gatewood
While the plight of war refugees is in the news, and deservedly so, the struggle of refugee families from Eritrea is not often in the headlines. Located in Northern Africa, Eritrea is led by an oppressive regime, with few rights for its people. Thousands flee each month in search of survival and a better life. Over the last seven years, the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring has resettled hundreds of Eritrean refugees. Because Eritrean refugees are at risk if they are identified, the subject of our story – who we will call “H.M.” – did not want to be named. This is her story.
“Our country is different from other countries. In Eritrea the authorities decide your life for you. We cannot decide which school we go to, where to work. When you complete grade 12, you have to go to SAWA [Defence Training Center] to serve the military. When you go to SAWA you don't get enough food or clean water. When a girl goes to SAWA she faces a lot of problems, like being raped. It is very scary. It is difficult to live in Eritrea and be young, especially as a girl. I left the country and went to a refugee camp in Ethiopia before I had to start service.
I am of the Afar people, which is an indigenous tribe [that is being displaced by the Eritrean government]. When I came to America, I found out people don’t know what is happening in Eritrea, or about the Afar people. It upset me. Why can no one hear us? I want to make sure people know. My dad would say ‘I want to change everything for Afar people, I want to feed them, get schools.’ He tried to open a community center, but the government would not allow it. He did many interviews to [raise awareness] about the Afar people. He had been imprisoned for years, before he passed away. They say it was for political reasons. I want to continue his voice. It is hard for girls, because we are married off when we are 12 years old, there is no school available. But I want us to be able to do anything possible. I did not think I would be able to leave. I thought I would go to SAWA, and that's it. But now I have a chance.
Everything is going okay here in Baltimore so far. We got here a few months ago. I am going to English classes. I want to go to college to study computer networking." “H.M.”, from Eritrea
Help us serve refugees in need. If you would like to donate to the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring, please visit:
https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-silver-spring
