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Children’s Category 2nd Prize
My Hope for the Future
By Aya Imai
(Age 14, England)
“I really want to help them!” a strong feeling crossed my mind.
Everything began with a TV program. There was a Gambian girl in such a tiny dress, faded into a brown color. She was saying clearly the following:
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“I have a dream to be listening
to a teacher with all my friends surrounding me, holding a huge
piece of paper and a not too short a pencil.” |
She had lost both her parents during the war due to bombs and a landmine. Furthermore, she herself had lost her right eye. I remember she seemed annoyed by the bandage wound around her head, and she hade to repeatedly rewind it behind her ears… Despite her physical disability, she must work and care for her little brothers and sisters from morning till night. I felt as if I could hear the sound of her creaking body on my side of the TV set. The girl who said “I want to go to school” had just turned eight years old.
There is nothing more cruel than involving innocent people in wars. Besides, it is unforgivable for me to see wars destroy people’s lives. Nobody has any rights. But, ‘wars’ cannot be solved with my voice alone so I would like to do my best in helping those who are in need.
What I want to do for those in need is to convey all my knowledge to those children. I want to pass on my knowledge and know-how to the future generations just as I have learned from my former generations. I, especially, want to be a teacher for the children who are not able to go to school just like the Gambian girl I saw on television.
I have learned a lot from so many people in the last 14 years and 3 months of my life. I have learned about people’s lives. I have learned to be moved by their stories and I engraved the significance of a life in my mind. And, I received love. No matter what poor or marginalized situation one is placed in, every child has the right to get an education just as I have had. Simply speaking, there needs someone to take an action.
I can do it. I can shed light on these children’s lives again. I can give them a chance. I can persuade them that they can change their own destinies by themselves. I would like to help them so that they can stand on their own feet. Then, I believe there will be a society where people are not sacrificed even if they are involved in wars.
In the past, humanity has repeatedly caused wars. Therefore, it is true that there might only be a slight chance for wars to come to end forevermore. Even so, I dare to do my very best in creating such a future where the victims of war have another chance to be happy.
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