PERSONAL NARRATIVE DIFFERENT FROM MY OWN.
Personal narrative refers to a prose narrative that tries to vividly paint a person’s experiences in their life. (Lindgren, M. (2016).The personal narrative in this context is about Zain Aleah, 45, is from Taiz, Yemen. Yemen is a developing country and also known for its increased rate of corruption. Women in Yemen are also looked down upon and in some cities, raping of underage girls is legalized. Women are perceived to be a tool for reproduction. Zain’s story is an inspiration and a lesson since though she had gone through hardships, she has pioneered against gender-based violence. (Kristell, A. (2019).
Personal Narrative of Zain Aleah.
“My name is Zain Aleah, and I am a mother of two and working with a nonprofit organization, Women for Power, in Taiz, Yemen, and have gone through turmoil and life threating experiences in life. I was from a less privileged family, and so I lacked lots of things as I grew up. My early childhood was no much fun. My father, who worked at a construction site, could not afford three meals a day. My mother, Abia, would prepare gruel for breakfast, and the next meal would be in the evening once my father returned from work after receiving the meager salary. Due to the poor condition at home, I was unable to complete my studies.
After dropping out of school, I joined my mother in working odd jobs. They would work in farms, tilling the land during the rainy seasons. We would also be employed to clean homes as well as do house chores in other peoples’ homes. These jobs were not just a smooth run, many are times that we would be ridiculed, accused of being thieves, physically assaulted, or their employers would refuse with their pay. At one time, I was raped and beaten almost to death. The police did not arrest the culprit since they were bribed, and women are not respected at all and are seen as tools of reproduction. My mother feared that she would shame the family if I were taken to the hospital, and raping was also legalized, and so I got pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl. Due to the hardships, she was going through; I contacted my friends who had traveled to other countries to be a connection to get a job.
Luck was on my side, and I was employed in Dubai as a dog caretaker. My responsibilities were; to clean her employer’s dogs, cook for them, and to take them to the veterinarian for regular vaccination. Though I was being paid well, my employer disrespected me and undermined my abilities as a female. He would occasionally call me names, and at times I would be forced to sleep outside with the dogs. Though my life was cruel in Dubai, I could not give up, since back at home, they all depended on my income.
I got married to a handsome Yemen gentleman. He accepted my daughter with open hands. Being young, I figured that I had my whole life to enjoy once I had saved enough to start a business back at home. I regularly sent money to my husband to aid in house expenses, especially since my daughter was in the care of step-dad and the nanny. The first years were good, but things changed when I was pregnant with his child. The good husband became cruel and arrogant. He mistreated me together with my daughter. He would come home late, call me bad names that left painful scars in my heart and at times, without considering my health conditions, he would beat her and forcefully make love to me.
After giving birth and weaning my baby boy, Nzuki, for three months, I traveled to Germany to work as a house help since the previous employer had demoted me when I got pregnant. Life at this house was also not bread and butter. (Zotos, Y. C., (2016). I had to wake up very early in the morning, prepare breakfast, take the kids to school since they were still very young to take themselves. On returning, I had to do the house chores and also take care of my employer’s mother, who was very old. My work would end late at night, and the same routine repeated every day.
I was wise and would send to my mother some money to save. I would call home to talk to my daughter and also ask my husband if my son was also doing well. I got suspicious of my husband having an affair with the nanny since whenever I called at night, he would say ” we are watching.” I was sure that my daughter slept early and so my husband was left alone with the nanny to watch until late at night.
My sixth sense told me that there was trouble in paradise. During an impromptu visit back to Taiz, all hell broke loose when I caught him with my sister in our marital bed. This moment marked the turning point in my life, I divorced him, and since I had saved well, I relocated back to Taiz. I had kept close to $20,000, which when converted to Yemen rial; it was a lot of money.
I invested half of the money in the cosmetic industry. My life started taking a right turn. My business was working well, and due to the exposure in Dubai, which is leading in trade, I was able to navigate my way through the business world.
In 2009, I started a campaign to fight for the rights of my fellow women. I had gone through a difficult life under the hands of employers, and my husband was also cruel to me. My organization, Women For Power, advocates fighting for the less privileged girls and women who are being oppressed. I can confidently say that my life is brighter. The organization not only helps women, but it educates the men to change their perception about women to have a fruitful co-existence in the homes and country as a whole without one gender oppressing the other.”
Reflect on differences evident between Zain’s life experiences
And my life experiences.
Zain’s childhood was characterized with difficulties both in acquiring basic needs and also in her academics but my family was able to afford basic needs and cater for my academics. ( Kristell, A. (2019). Therefore, my mother was not forced to work in a cruel environment to afford the meals or pay for my education.
While working in other countries, Zain was oppressed and had to do tedious jobs, which made her presume that most employers are cruel, ruthless, and inhuman. This is not true since I have also worked under different employers, most of whom are kind and friendly to everyone irrespective of gender.
Zain goes through oppressive marriage, and her husband looks down on her that he even cheats on her with her sister. Through my life, I have been brought up in the warmth of loving parents who respect each other and motivates each other to achieve more in life. Therefore, zain has a negative attitude towards marriage, while my experiences have taught me that marriage can be a source of growth and motivation.
Reason for choosing Zain’s narrative,
And the uniqueness in her story.
Zain’s lives experiences drew me to her. This is because even though she has been through hell, she is still strong and not ready to give up. From her early childhood, she has understood the depth that poverty can make one go. Life pushed her to the limit, but she still dreamt big. Majority of the youth believe that only education can make one successful, but they should understand that education is not the single channel to make it in life, it only builds one’s skills to enable one to achieve their dreams.
Zain’s story is unique since even though she has grown through an oppressive life, she came up with an organization that setts hope to other victims of gender-based violence and her experiences did not make her loath men she educates the men to change their perception towards women.
Lessons captured on my narrative
Through Aleah’s story.
Her story is an epitome of how sharing our story can counter the span of certain stereotypes. Zain has gone through tremendous experiences that if I were to go through, my perception of men, employers, and also towards the family members would be tarnished. Aleah was mistreated not only at the hands of her employers but also by the man whom he thought was her protector and defender, her husband. This would have changed how she perceived men, but she remained energetic and motivated to achieve her goals. No stereotype against her gender would hinder her vision. ( McDonnell, J. (2017).
The experiences that she went through intones that no matter how much life takes from us, we should always be motivated and work to the best of our limits. Her experience also shows that our perception of people should not be altered by our lives experiences. This reminds me that even though I to have had a rough ride at one time or another, I should always keep an open mind to avoid the danger of a single story.
How reading and analyzing other peoples perspective
Has enabled the growth in my view of others.
To have true success, we must be masters of how we relate to other people. The secret of having a beneficial relationship with others lies in how we handle the perspective of others. Zain’s marriage was hurtful and full of pulses of emotional pains. (Wessel, J. L. (2015). From my perspective, I would have abhorred marriage and discourage other women from being married.
Zain’s story and how she perceived different experiences, educate on how to regulate our emotions. Through the hands of her employers, we can presume that not once or twice life pushed her to the ends of no return, be she always maintained a positive mindset and avoided confrontation of words which would have lead to more problems.
But Zain’s experiences caused her to start an organization that educates men and women on how to have a successful marriage. The organization is aiming to alter the state of gender oppression in Yemen where women are treated with little respect and ensure that no city in Yemen tolerates rape cases.
Her point of view has enlightened that particular experience requires wisdom when dealing with them. We should try to educate people to help them perceive things in a different and more beneficial point of view. This helps one to think critically and make a sound judgment. Her organization is an example of the power of a positive mindset. ( Wessel, J. L. (2015).
Her perception also educates that our differences either in gender or economic status, should not be the barrier to a successful interaction. We should unify and motivate each other on respecting one another to have a successful life full of positive interactions.
Conclusion.
Though Aleah’s life was punctuated with oppression and hardship, her perception of life wasn’t altered. (Kristell, A. (2019). Contrary to the situations motivated her to remain focused. Her story highlights the benefits of a different perception than that which is full of hatred which hinders critical thinking while dealing with a different situation. Her story is also a motivation for women who are going through the same turmoil to find alternatives in countering their conditions, which is not only helpful to them but society as a whole. ( Zotos, Y. C., (2016).
References.
McDonnell, J., (2017). Islam and educational equality for Muslim Women.
Destremau, B., & Grabundzija, M. (2017). Women and Civil Society: Capacity Building in Yemen: A Research Perspective on Development. Centre français d’archéologie et de sciences sociales.
Wong, E., (2017). “Let’s all ‘Cry Wolf’more positively”: Changing perception and collective action on biodiversity loss in Norway.
Wong, E., (2017). “Let’s all ‘Cry Wolf’more positively”: Changing perception and collective action on biodiversity loss in Norway.
Grau, S. L., & Zotos, Y. C., (2016). Gender stereotypes in advertising: a review of current research. International Journal of Advertising, 35(5), 761-770.
Ryan, A. M., & Wessel, J. L. (2015). Implications of a changing workforce and workplace for justice perceptions and expectations. Human Resource Management Review, 25(2), 162-175.
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Kristell, A. (2019). Jane: One Woman’s Survival. Anna Kristell Romance.
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Nash, R., (2019). Liberating scholarly writing: The power of personal narrative. IAP.
Lindgren, M., (2016). Personal narrative journalism and podcasting. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 14(1), 23-41.