Away from the sounds of war… Hakawati Al Furat troupe performs an enchanting performance in al Hole camp

Aso Team 2019-11-23
Translated by: Hejar Abbo

(Umm Jana “We lived black days, without any other colors, today we got a bit out of this black)

“Hakawati al Furat” troupe organized a theatrical performance, in al Hole camp, attended by more than 500 male and female children, with their parents, and was welcomed and highly appreciated by the children and parents living in the camp.

The theatrical activity presented by the band in cooperation and coordination with the team of Taa Marbouta Foundation and Free Women Stand, inside al Hole Camp, is the first of its kind to target children in al Hole camp, in the presence of some of their families.

It is not easy to gather more than 500 children in al Hole to attend a theatrical show, directed at mixed children, where people used to watch scenes of exploitation from inside the camp by ISIS affiliates to create a picture associated with the mentality of extremism.

The activity was coordinated and prepared by the Hakawati al Furat Troupe, sponsored by Taa Marbouta, and the Free Women Stand, within the framework of providing psycho-social support to the children and women, spreading awareness, cultivating joy in children’s hearts and building their independent personality away from the ideas of violence and extremism, while undermining the thought of terrorism, by helping children to return to their real world. To which they belong in a civilian life.

The director of the Taa-Marbouta project “Maysaa Hussein” says that the aim of the theatrical performance in Al-Hole camp is to complete a development, awareness and educational project targeting children and women.

The establishment of such activity inside al Hole camp reinforces the social and civic reality inside the camp and supports women and children to return to openness and giving after a period of dark closure imposed by terrorism on them.

According to the coordinator of the Taa Marbouta Foundation, Abeer Mohammed, this activity is an educational and recreational activity, which is very important for children in al-Hole camp who have experienced difficult conditions of violence and extremism in the Islamic State era.
Emphasizing that the activities of entertainment and awareness, which has a message, contribute significantly to change the pattern of thinking.

More than 500 children attended theatrical performances by Hakawati al Furat troupe coming from Raqqa, where the show lasted for more than an hour and a half, targeting children between the ages of 2 and 17 years, diversified in terms of roots between Syria, Iraq and other countries. As many al Camp administrators and organizations operating inside the camp presented the show, with Asayish censorship and protection inside the camp.

This activity is one of the distinctive and rare activities in al Hole Camp, where for the first time a theater performance attended by hundreds of children and parents is taking place in the camp, spreading joy and happiness among all.

For her part, “Yasmin Othman” administrative in the free women stand in Rojava admired the stage show, and expressed great pleasure to participate in this joint activity with Taa Marbouta and bring Kakawati al Furat troupe, to the camp as a bold step as described, given the current difficult circumstances Going through the area.

Othman stressed the need to spread cultural awareness, intellectual and educational through carrying out this kind of activities because of its benefit and added values to children.

According to Bushra Hamid, executive supervisor of Taa-Marbouta project, which is tasked with organizing the joint activities between Taa-Marbouta and the Free Women Stand in Rojava, the children and parents have merged and enjoyed the theatrical performance, whose main objective was to sow joy and happiness on the faces of children, and to keep them away from the atmosphere of war and change the thought of terrorism. Extremism, promoted by the Islamic State terrorist organization in the heads of children.

The atmosphere has not been without some difficulties due to the conditions of al Hole camp, which is home to about 73 thousand people, according to international organizations, including hundreds of families of ISIS.

”I am very happy to have seen the show. I loved the characters, the costumes and everything in the play. I also benefited from its content. We must work together and spread love and peace everywhere,” said the 14-year-old Mahmoud, who expressed his happiness to attend the show.

The 10-year-old child, Rahaf speaks with a smile, “The show is great. This is the first time I’ve seen a stage show. I hope the band will come back and give us new ideas to benefit from”.

The theatrical performance was performed under strict protection and guarding conditions.

“I have been in the camp for three years, and this is the first time I enjoy it,” said Umm Jana, the mother of one of the children who attended the play. she added, saying: “We lived black days, without colors, today we got a bit out of this black.

For his part, director Dahham Sattam expressed his happiness to meet with Taa Marbouta call for the band to hold their performances in Al Hole Camp. He also confirmed that Hakawati al Furat continues to provide theatrical performances amid the joy and happiness of children who lived and suffered from terrorism after being deprived of all kinds of toys and entertainment. “Sattam” added that the band made a theatrical performance entitled “Golden Ball” directed to children and carries in its content a message of love and peace and induce teamwork and cling to the ground.

Al-Sattam stated that their theatrical performances targeted areas that were under the control of the organization, and the target audience, was affected by terrorism, stressing that al Hole show is one of the most important performances they have made as a result of the idea and place. “ We have performed a previous show similar in its importance to this at al Rasheed park, which was symbolic in the time of ISIS and today we present in al Hole Camp, which ISIS is considered to be its host.”

Bushra Hamed, the executive supervisor of Taa-Marbouta project, said they will work to repeat this experience in al Hole camp because of the high demand from children and their love and happiness that was in their eyes during the show.

For her part, “Yasmin Othman” confirmed their readiness to work to receive effective and targeted activities in the camp.

Dahham Sattam confirmed that the band is ready to complete and present its offers in the camp in the future.
Al-Hakawati troupe performs theatrical shows in many areas and camps in North-East Syria.