‘Tent’ kid holds on to dreams

ZAMBOANGA CITY—On her first day in school on Monday, 6-year-old Arnisah Daul drew a huge house with plenty of food.

“I am inside a big and long house, just like a train, and everyone is laughing and sharing the food,” the girl said, explaining her drawing on paper to the Inquirer.

The reality is that Arnisah, a kindergarten pupil, and her family are staying in a small tent inside the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex here.

“We cannot even stand inside the tent. We just bend, kneel, sit and lie down. If you want to do some stretching, you have to get out of the tent,” said her mother, Arrah.

Arrah, who has four other children, discovered the drawing after Arnisah came home from Mariki Elementary School.

The Dauls are among thousands of people who were rendered homeless after Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces tried to attack this city in September last year. Their homes were burned down during the fighting between government troops and MNLF members, which lasted for weeks.

Arrah makes both ends meet through donations that she has been receiving and with whatever amount her husband earns as a jeepney driver.

Another evacuee, Sol Wahab, whose six children are in school, still doesn’t know where to get money to buy school supplies. Her husband is a fisherman.

“Each of my children has asked me to produce nine notebooks with 80 leaves … Where on earth will I get that money?” Wahab said.

Lenny Pendo, 13, said her mother had asked her to stop schooling, as there was not enough money for her and her five siblings. She is supposed to be in Grade 7.

“I am going to miss school. Now I have to take care of my little brothers and sisters, and bring them all to school,” Lenny said.

At Mariki Elementary School, many mothers were seen outside the classrooms of their children. “We need to accompany our children in going home because they could be attacked or harassed by other students and bystanders,” Wahab said.

Alkhodari Jakaria, the principal, said he would meet with the mothers and other school officials to ensure the safety of the pupils. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao