November 21, 2004

Amman, Jordan

Wihdat:  A photo story

I asked my housekeeper, Inshirah, if I could pay her a Ramadan visit at her home in the Wihdat Camp, and I was amazed to see how happy she was and how quickly she accepted.

Photo # 1 Inshirah’s children were waiting for their mom to come home from work.

	Photo # 2 This narrow strip is all the room in which the children have to play all day.  The neighbors check on them, but for the most part the four year old boy is left in charge of his two year old sister.  There is no alternative for Inshirah who is determined to make enough money to move her kids out of this hole.
Photo # 3 Walking through the tiny narrow strip, you see the entrance to Inshirah’s home.  It is very dark inside and it smells of raw sewage.  It takes a few seconds for the eyes to adjust to the darkness when you step inside.   (right) Photo # 4 Inshirah was excited to show me her newly acquired furniture.  I was distracted by the floor of her home. It was paved once upon a time, but now there are too many holes in it and it has many sharp edges. (below)
Photo # 5 Two of the four walls of her home are made of zinc, and so is the ceiling.  There are many holes in the ceiling, so when it rains as it did here in Amman a few days ago, not only do they get wet but so do their mattresses and their blankets.  The winter in Amman is often cold and it occasionally snows inside. (right) Photo # 6 The toilet is a hole in the ground – it is only separated from where they all sleep by a thin curtain.  It is very dark in this corner – I couldn’t see what it looked like until I took this photo with the flash.. (below)
	Photo # 7 I went outside to see little Maha playing in her favorite place by the swing.  I noticed how thick the soles of her feet appeared as she walked barefoot on the dirt and broken glass.
Photo # 8 Adel and Maha were proud to show me the old swing that sits outside their door.  Inshirah told me that on Eid each year, many children come to ride on the swing.  She charges them 10 cents per ride.  How entrepreneurial. (right) Photo # 9 This is the image that struck me the most.  The poster on the wall in Inshirah’s home says, “God is with those who are patient.”  How much longer must the patience last? (below)

Photos by Samah Sabawi

Coming Next: Photo Story from Talibieh Camp

Part XIII Twist of Fate Stories from the Camps

Index & Introduction Reports from Amman Jordan My Palestinian Diary

Part XV Photo Story from Talibieh Camp