Malake’s story

Malake, 56, Palestinian – Lebanese

Widowed, Mother of five

Working as a taxi driver

“I would love to encourage women to be strong. Women are indeed stronger than anyone can imagine, and they are capable of performing many different roles – the mother, the father, the educator, the provider, and yes, even the taxi driver.
Nothing in the world can break a woman’s will to live.”

 

My name is Malake. I am a 56-year-old Palestinian refugee born and raised in Naher AL Bared, Lebanon.

We had a big family, but my mother died when I was young, so I had a step-mother too. It was a difficult upbringing. My father was a good man, but our circumstances were far from easy.

I got married at fourteen to a man from the camp and we had four children together. He also was a good man, and we moved to live in Ukraine for a few years. There, I worked as a cook and pastry chef. We had a good life, my children got educated and my husband and I were able to make good money. However, after a few years, my husband died at a young age from heart problems.

Soon after, my children and I felt we could not live in exile for too long. My son, who was thirteen at the time, wanted to move back to Lebanon because he felt like he did not belong in Ukraine.

We moved back to Lebanon, and we lived in Shatila refugee camp this time.  I did everything I could for the survival of my children- I babysat, I made ready food, I cooked for families, and I worked in a kindergarten.

I remarried soon after we moved back, and I had another son. My second husband also had cancer and died while our son was very young. This was the second time I became widowed and my children became orphans. It was extremely painful and difficult for us to deal with these issues.

I was again left in the same situation as before- widowed with young children. But, at this point, I was unable to make ends meet with my cooking, so I had to start driving a taxi cab. It is not an easy job- I often work late hours in a male-dominated field, and I sometimes have to leave my house at 3.00 am for airport pick-ups.

When I first heard about the drama therapy programmes offered by Intisar Foundation, I was very excited to start the sessions. No one believed that despite our difficult situations, my group of women would dance and sing and release all our energy during these sessions, but we did, and we felt as if we were going for a picnic or a day out with good friends. The atmosphere was amazing, we would talk about anything- the good, the bad, the most horrible, and the happiest days of our lives.

Although I’ve always been active and athletic, it was the Intisar Foundation programme that reminded me of the importance of movement, especially because I spend most of my day in the car.

I have started doing many of the activities at home with my children and grandchildren. My daughters and I have started our weekly dancing and singing sessions when we simply turn up the stereo and have a good time.

I made two lifelong friends through the programme. Even though we knew each other before the programme, our friendships developed and we see each other regularly now, often reminiscing about our days in the programme.

I learned the importance of being strong. Although any woman in my situation has to be strong, we often feel alone on our journeys, but the Intisar Foundation drama therapy programme made me feel like I was supported by other strong women. And I want to pass on this wisdom to my daughters who now have children and difficulties of their own.

I would love to encourage women to be strong. Women are indeed stronger than anyone can imagine, and they are capable of performing many different roles – the mother, the father, the educator, the provider, and yes, even the taxi driver.  Nothing in the world can break a woman’s will to live.

I would be so happy to attend more sessions and again see the smiling faces every morning. I hope that women all over the Arab world get to experience this beautiful programme. I am grateful to have been a part of it.

 

“Although I’ve always been active and athletic, it was the Intisar Foundation programme that reminded me of the importance of movement, especially because I spend most of my day in the car.
I have started doing many of the activities at home with my children and grandchildren. My daughters and I have started our weekly dancing and singing sessions when we simply turn up the stereo and have a good time.”