She Battled her Nightmares to Live an Authentic Life

As human beings, we know a few factors about ourselves for sure. Our name and the date of our birth are the first fundamentals that shape our personalities, they give us form, and make us unique.

Sarah was born in 1990 in the midst of a civil war in a UN refugee camp somewhere between

Somalia and Ethiopia. The exact date of her birth is not quite clear, neither her name for that matter. Sarah's real name shall not be revealed but this should not matter anyway. Her father just picked a name for Sarah and her family to move to the UK and re-join him in London.

Sarah firmly believes that her being in the UK saved her life. As she confessed: "My life would have probably been an endless cycle of torture." According to the UN Women organization "The women of Somalia bear an unequal brunt of the hardships occasioned by poverty, conflict and clan-based culture which promotes strict male hierarchy and authority. Somalia has extremely high rates of maternal mortality, rape, cases of female genital mutilation, violence against women, and child marriage."

Even though the UK practically saved her from experiencing all the tortures of her home

country, one should not make the mistake of thinking that living in London was perfect. The

London Sarah knows is far from festive. The neighbourhood she grew up in can pretty much

be referenced as a small Somalia. A home to migrants and refugees who brought their culture with them, the voices of many women were silenced. As the second born in a family of seven children, and the firstborn female, Sarah was more a mother than a sister to her younger siblings. To make things worse, since she turned 13 she was viewed as a woman soon to be married, and her schooling was possible only because she was based the United Kingdom.

Everything that was taking place in her society was designed to suit their beliefs, and as long you believe in them you are most certainly going to enjoy a comfortable life. If you find yourself in a difficult situation you know that the community has your back, and no police can even dream of having such authority. But if you find yourself on the other side of that situation, it might not seem as bright. If you are rebellious like Sarah, those same people will go to any lengths to silence and prove you wrong. Sarah half-jokingly describes them as the mafia. They are welcoming and warm people as long as you obey their rules but do not be surprised if one of them reports you to your parents if they suspect you misbehave.

Sarah has always felt out of place, and at the age of 27, she finally took control of her own life and went to a university far from London and her relatives. Even today, she is still suffering the consequences of being silenced only because he had a different view on how to live her own life. Her bravery to find the courage within and pursue her dreams is still difficult sometimes, but it was the most liberating step she had ever taken.

Sarah is living proof that even without the comfort and security of our roots, we are always free to pick and choose our own identity to serve our purpose without oppression.