Freedom Children’s Orphanage (Chad)
[application letter below]
Greetings to you
Our names are Shakur Halima and Shakur Jamila, we are the housewives of the orphanage
The name of the orphanage is Freedom Children's Orphanage in Varsha, N'Djamena, Chad.
Our address is 75A, Jassy Street, Varcha District, N'Djamena, post 6239
Our phone number is +2358065349855
Our orphanage started three and a half years ago, in February 2021, when our husband’s left for Italy through the Libyan desert to be illegal immigrants, they promised us they would come to get us but that was the last time we heard from them. In an attempt to survive, me, Halima and our two children moved into a rented apartment to start our lives, and over time we increased our number to help all the orphaned and abandoned children we found.
We live as one large family on the principle of love, equality, and community support.
We currently have 20 children in the orphanage, 14 are girls and 6 boys, aged between 2 and 9 years. None of them are currently in school. Sometimes they beg in the street to be fed.
The reason we are not religious and are humanist instead is our personal experience with the hypocrisy of our Islamic religion, the fanaticism and the dogma.
What makes religion harsh on the human experience has made us reevaluate our beliefs and focus on human values such as thoughtfulness, compassion, and empathy. We stop believing in any god that has no practical value in our lives, nor do we engage in endless and useless worship, because that too is useless. Human values are what we pour into our orphanage. As we now work with children, we have discovered that humanist principles are more effective in promoting empathy, understanding and inclusion.
The children in our care are:
Musa (9 years old) Both parents migrated from Chad to Italy via Libya, leaving her in the care of a stranger who does not want anything to do with her.
Kosuo (7 years old) is an abandoned child on the street and no one in particular knows his individual story. He himself joined us at home, and has been a good boy ever since
Yahya (6 years old) Her parents also immigrated to Italy.
Isidore (9 and a half years old) Both parents are victims of war and he has been orphaned most of his life
Wisdom (9 years old) Both parents died from the war
Arafa (8 years old) Both parents died from the war
Louisa (8 years old) She was found on the street without direction and was taken to the shelter
Judy (8 years old) Both parents are dead
Nia (7 years old) Both parents are dead
Silviani (7 years old) She was thrown out on the street and brought to the orphanage by people
Angela (6 years old) He was abandoned by parents who traveled illegally to Italy
Fatima (6 years old) Both parents died and we adopted her
Lubaba (6 years old) Both parents died
Deborah (7 and a half years) She was orphaned at birth and was transferred from one orphanage to another, and we are her third orphanage
Amina (4 years old) An immigrant's daughter, whom we have not heard from for three years
Marjah (4 years) An immigrant's daughter, whom we have not heard from for three years
Shakur Halim (31 years old) Orphanage co-director
Shakur Jamila (33 years old) Orphanage co-director
There are three other children who are not in the photo because they have malaria and are in the Children's Rural Hospital. They are:
Al-Zabbar (3 years old), male
Joseph (2 years old), male
Bella (3 years old), female