A Refugee Life – Entitled or Frightful?

We can relax in our houses but 68.5 million displaced people struggle every day. The struggles are many. Who knows? Malala Yousafzai has brought us close to the lives of refugees by penning down their stories. Let’s take a peek into the book – We are displaced – My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World.

What is the book about?

The book puts together a detailed account of the lives of eight female refugees. There are two parts to the book. In the first part, Malala narrates her own story, and in the second part narrates the true stories of these girls.

Reading this book is like sitting in an Odeon, watching the challenges of displaced people in front of your eyes. From a layperson’s lens, these girls got better lives in first-world countries. However, the book reveals the aching emotion of living in a foreign land. Refugees yearn for their country and their people, no matter the country of asylum.

It’s painful to leave your country because the other option is death.

Besides tribulations of displacement, this book brings to the surface the importance of education in transforming lives. Being an ardent proponent of girl education, Malala has chosen stories where girls struggled against all odds to receive a good education. The efforts of Muzoon Almellehan toward the education of Syrian girls have brought her the title, “Malala of Syria.”

What does this book add to your life?

A book is as good as the author’s writing style. Though this book is a simple read, it doesn’t disappoint in intricacies and vividness. It is easy to connect with the pains, misfortunes, and struggles of refugees. Malala has kept the curiosity and interest piqued in every chapter. It is not a book to be kept down but read in one go.

The stories of refugee sisters – Zaynab and Sabreen – are captivating. Starting from the same point, the lives of these sisters take diametrically opposite paths. Zaynab is engrossed in succeeding with a good education, while Sabreen settles to be someone’s wife. The scene that describes Sabreen crossing the Mediterranean Sea keeps the reader gasping for breath. When all seemed lost, Sabreen
miraculously survived.

The book also highlights the efforts of Samaritans who help refugees transition into better lives. Malala has been visiting refugee camps forever and donating funds for girl’s education. Jennifer’s story shows how she and her family altered their lifestyle to help a refugee family. The transition of refugees into society is possible due to such people.

What more could the book offer?

Though a satisfying read, “We are displaced” lacks the story of Malala being shot by the Taliban. Malala didn’t want to repeat the story in this book; however, a reader may be interested in that famed story. As the book is a short read, she could have added another chapter describing that incident.

Summary

The book – We are displaced – has been widely appreciated. It landed among the Top 10 New York Times bestsellers under the “Young Adult Hardcover” category. Youth, especially girls, around the globe can draw inspiration from the lives of the eight teenagers. These girls fought for their right to education and thus emphasised its importance. After reading this book, you can understand the violence and threat hidden behind displacement.

You can also pick up – I Am Malala – a memoir of Malala Yousafzai. For a deeper insight into her journey from being shot by the Taliban to a Nobel prize conferee, you may also watch the documentary, “He Named Me Malala.”