Some come from Lebanon, some from Sudan and others from Ethiopia and Macedonia, a group of children whose origins, languages and ages are all different. But they have one thing in common: they are all orphans.




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While they enjoy the daylight as other children do, they have to deal with the grief of loneliness at night. This is an anguish they feel but can't express. They do, however, understand each other. The orphans were brought to İstanbul by the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH) to participate in the 4th International Orphans' Get Together Program to be held at Haliç Exhibition Hall tomorrow. They will share their grief and their joy. They will console each other. As one child said of another, “I do not have a father, but she does not have either of her parents.”

Semer Mehdi Ahmad is an 11-year-old boy living in the war-torn region of Darfur in Sudan. His mother died of a mosquito-borne illness while she was working for a humanitarian relief organization. His father was an engineer; he died of an asthma attack. But Ahmad was too young to remember when these things happened. Now he and his two brothers live in their uncle's home. Ahmad's day usually starts with going to school; this is the only luxury in his life. His real life welcomes him upon his return home, where he does the cleaning and takes care of his brothers. He has never had a toy; he plays the role of his parents. Ahmad wants to be a doctor. He wants to help people in need. His only wish is for toys for the children of Darfur because the game of life is pretty rough.