I feel really upset about the direction that the world is heading. This is a world where if you don't have the money, no dreams are possible.
Technologies have made us more selfish and separate than ever.
I started teaching speech and drama in a community school with mostly refugees late last year. Early this year, I was contemplating if I should train them to become storytellers on stage to share their wounds to the rest of the world.
With a group of people who decided to work alongside, to allow the Afghan refugees to use the big stage to express their emotions deep inside, I know this is the BEST decision I've ever made in my life thus far.
Dreams! is a really heartbreaking story about the situation of the world right now.
Yes, I decided to write the script for the stage play and allow the refugees to express the feelings and emotions that all of us are going through in this stressful lifestyle because they really do empathise.
As much as political concerns, all refugees are illegal here but these Afghan children are innocent. They might not survive staying in Afghanistan. Yes, they are being bullied here by some community and their activities are limited but they are not terrified by scary weapons here.
I believe that these children have their individual dreams, be it the people whom they would like to meet or the lives they would like to touch. However, a lot of activities are being restricted in Afghanistan.
Have we not thought about how many lives these children may have touched just by sharing their physical and mental pains that they go through?
Inequality exists in every part of the world but it is just more apparent in a war-torn country like Afghanistan. Now that these children are here in Malaysia, it's the best chance to train them to express their emotions using a positive platform. They understand the social issues better than any children of their age.
I've heard from the Afghan children themselves how they found dead bodies while playing outdoors. Some had also seen their girlfriends being killed right in front of them. All of them have been bullied to the extreme.
Most of them still love their beloved country but they were forced to leave the country by their parents. They feel embarrassed being here and they do hope that they can be back to their country to make it a better place. Just imagine you are illegal in the country and being labeled as "refugee". They are just children. They do not have the rights to just stay in Afghanistan while their parents flee.
They do know that they have not gotten enough knowledge and experience to contribute something meaningful to the country. Most of them have got a dream to work in Afghanistan when they are ready.
If they are not running away from the "problems" but are here for a safer shelter instead, why are these children being neglected?
Most of the children have got so much to say about what they have heard and seen in Afghanistan. It is best to put them all in a play. The children do want to voice out, they tend to become violent just to protect themselves or that's how everyone is in Afghanistan.
Theatre is a positive and safe platform for the children to express.
I'm here to give these children a positive support through theatre education.
