"Im Salwa."

My mother died while she was giving me birth. So I opened my eyes on this world without a mom. Two years later, I faced another misery. My father died. He died leaving thirteen kids as orphans to face this harsh life alone.
We were raised in one of Lebanon’s villages. We suffered from agony, sadness, and hunger every day. I used to look at my brothers and sisters and cry for the situation. Our food was bread. Sometimes, I used to hope I’d sleep and never wake up again. How cruel can life be sometimes…
In the year 1980, Imam Sadr foundation offered help for families whose situation is similar to ours. I was lucky to get to enter this foundation. Finally, a door of hope opened for us. I was a six year old when I entered the foundation. It’s true that I lost the source of love and caring from my real parents when I was still a baby; but the people at the foundation made it up to me.

One of the activities at Imam Sadr Foundation is to accept invitations received to it. One day, it was invited by an organization from Beirut to join a celebration. The foundation sent a group of girls. I was among them.
Activities were done and I won along with other children. The winners were invited to go up the stage and get their prizes. A nine year old I was, came up with all confidence to receive my gift when suddenly a name of a winner was mentioned which was familiar. I looked at the boy and rushed to him. “He is my brother Ali. I haven’t seen him since a long time” I said with a loud voice that reached the whole place. The crowd was silent. I started talking to him regardless of the people staring. We hugged each other so tight and started crying. I heard the introducer of the celebration saying: “Thank God”. I held his hand and went down the stage and sat with him.
My foundation rapidly took care of the issue. They called the foundation that had Ali and arranged for continuous meetings for both of us. I thank God for everything and special thanks for Imam Sadr Foundation for all what it did for us.