When my parents divorced in 2003, my mother went back to her village and my father left for Senegal. My aunt took me in. There I met cousin Almamy who from the first day started taking care of me, comforting me, giving me advice. Always he was there for me. We did everything together. We ate together, we walked together. too much to mention. At one point the whole family said he was like my husband and that we should get married. And I replied, "Yes, Almamy is my husband."
One day we were walking and I asked, "Almamy, you know I didn't go to school, so please help me find a job." He smiled and told me he would take care of it. But what did I want to be? I told him I wanted to be a hairdresser.... Days and weeks went by. One day he came home and said "Mame , good news." He had found a job for me in a hair salon.
When I was young, I got pregnant. I was not married. When the family found out, they abandoned me. My aunt kicked me out of the house. Almamy never abandoned me. To this day he continues to support me, even now that he himself is seriously ill. Thanks to him, I am where I am today. I wish God would restore his health.
Hadja Mariam Diallo from Guinea
Read all the stories from the expo: https://www.langemark-poelkapelle.be/en/this-is-me-and-this-is-my-hero