Nurlalia, the photographer
My full name is Nurlalia, now my age is 15 years old. I was born in the Kuta village, in Matang kuli sub-district. Now I am in the 3rd year of the 10th Junior High State School of Blang mangat . I still have both of my parents, my father works as a farmer, while my mother is taking care of the household and sometimes also earning money from washing other people's clothes. I am the 2nd of 3 children in the family.
I am living in the Al hidayah Blang Teu Children's Home since my parents cannot afford to pay for my school, just for the transport cost, because the school is far from home. Usually I used a bicycle to go to school, but at that time in my village there was an armed contact (editor - conflict) that make me afraid of going to school. In the children's home, according to my mother, no fee is needed and there are scholarships until college level. Also there are Qur'an reading lessons there.
In the children home I have a best friend, her name is Nurjannah. I have known her since my time in the village because our villages are close to each other. To her, I often confide about family problems.
At first, living in the children home made my feelings so sad, because I and other friends often have late meals, sometimes lunch is at 3 p.m. Ummi in the children home does not care much about all children in the children home, Ummi only cares about her relatives . Only Abi (Ummi's husband) alone cares about all children in the children home, but if Abi goes to the home of his other wife we would not get pocket money for school, Ummi does not give pocket money. Each time it's my turn to cook I also feel sad since I have to cook in a kitchen flooded with water and we who are on duty get wet also. I often tell about my problems to Mother, Mother just said that I have to be patient, until I am graduated someday, afterwards the search for a new children home for me would be done.
In the children home I still like to play rope games with children younger than me. I like those games since I can laugh, and it's very funny to see these little ones play with ropes.
I have the hope to make my parents happy, and I will work to support them. I have a future goal of becoming a policewoman, because I think that a policewoman looks very sharp and decisive.
At school I like biology lessons since I can learn a lot about parts of the human body.
After I join the Photography Workshop I feel that I have more courage, just like when I came forward to accompany the Head of District to release balloons as a sign that the photography exhibition was officially opened. In the past I had less self-confident always thinking that I was stupid.
Also, my relationships with friends in the children home have grown closer. They always see me each time I am back from workshop, and they always ask about what I learn, and I tell them. I even play the clapping games frequently, and the introduction games from the workshop, with other friends from the children homes, and we are all very happy. The game we like the most is the rainstorm game, because the sound of the storm can really be heard.
Khalil Jamri Wahidah Nurlalia Kifli