One Family's Struggle

Since I have been travelling to Senegal I have had the pleasure to know Samir Hamoudy. He was a receptionist at our hotel and had become a good friend. He watched out for me when I went on early morning runs around the island. He encouraged our work at Maison de la Gare. Sympathetic to the plight of talibes his family took the responsibility for feeding a talibe child each morning. Life was not easy for the Hamoudy family, but it was good. Samir believed in the importance of education above all else and paid to have his children educated in the private system, which is really the only realistic choice here if serious about education, due to the frequency of strikes and work stoppages in the public system. Samir regularly walked his children to school and checked up on their progress.

Thanks to Samir's family's focus on the importance of education, and a loving supportive home, his children thrived. Two of them have been consistently top of their class, and another is second. The children regularly receive rewards of merit for the excellence of their academic results, and are the pride of the director of their school.

A few years ago we visited Samir's family at their home, as invited honoured guests. The home was tiny, with one bedroom and a living room, for a family of eight people. But despite a lack of material possessions, they were happy, took great care to dress well, and seemed dedicated to each other. Their strong academic focus  suggests promising futures for the Hamoudy children.

Until one year ago, when the Hamoudy family was struck by tragedy. And, everything changed. Less than one month after we had visited Samir and his family in their home, Samir passed away after a short illness of lung disease. The children have been devastated to lose their loving father. The youngest, three year old Mohammed continues to ask when his papa will come home from the hospital. But this family must deal with so much more than grief and loss. Their life as a family and the future of the children is at terrible risk.

Samir's wife, Oumou cares for her six children at home. She did not work outside the home. The oldest, Fatou is 17, in high school. And, there are 5 more who range in age from 2 to 13: Mohammed, Kader, Lamia, Lala, and Fadel. In December we visited Senegal and learned of the family's loss. When we met with the family we and a generous family in Canada moved by the tragedy offered help to Oumou in the way of a financial contribution. She used that money to begin a small business, buying and re-selling shoes and other goods. Without means the family cannot possibly survive. School fees would not be paid, food could not be purchased, the rent for the tiny house even seems impossible. Now Oumou can usually pay most of the rent with the money she earns from her business. And sometimes some of the school fees. However, the cost of food for seven people, even with them tightening their belts is about double her monthly earnings. And, annual school registration fees will be due in October, an insurmountable amount for six children.

The family had a bit of money left from help received by Samir's employer and friends when he first passed. And, relatives of Samir's have thus far assisted with school fees and some food. But, this cannot last. Thankfully, due to the charm and academic potential of the children the director of their school offered to discount the annual registration and monthly fees for the children until the end of their primary education. But, even with this help, school fees of several hundred dollars annually amount to about a third of what Oumou can hope to earn in a year.  And, food for her family is beyond her means. Her acquaintances and relatives are encouraging her to get a job. But, it is unlikely she could earn more than what she does with her small business. And, it would mean disbanding her family, billeting the children out with various relatives, and withdrawing them from their school. Maybe the older kids would have to work instead of study. The kids would survive, but the the family would be finished, as might be the dreams for a better future for these bright and promising children. This path is what would be expected here. Such personal tragedies are not uncommon. People are sympathetic and likely to remark on how sad it is that such a family, and children with such potential must have it doused by fate. But, what else is there to do, after all. Such turns of fate are accepted by most.

But, Oumou is a fighter. She said to me that her children will only be separated from her and from each other over her dead body. She said she will fight for them as long as her body has breath. So far Oumou seems to have sheltered her children from the fear of what the future might hold for them. They miss their Dad, but they have no idea that their lives as they know them could soon be pulled out from under them.

There must be a way to help this family, to help sustain them until the children advance through school and are in a position to secure their own futures. Maybe crowdfunding? Maybe something else? I do not know. But, I am moved by Oumou's passion and the children's promise  to agree that this is going to be something worth fighting for.