I worry about my younger siblings. I am 17 and the eldest. Last year in the run-up to Eid, I could not sleep. It would be our first Eid without our father and I did not know how we could cope. As you know, people usually buy new clothes for Eid. I didn’t care about myself, but I did not know how I would buy new clothes for my siblings, as I was struggling to get work and I didn’t have savings.

I didn’t want them to feel different from their friends or to be pitied as orphans. We received an invitation from Al-Ayn to their office a few weeks before Eid. When we arrived, we saw rooms full of new clothes
and shoes. My siblings were so excited — they ran around and chose whatever they liked. At that moment. I couldn’t contain my tears. For the first time. I felt someone was looking out for us. It almost felt like we had our father back. It isn’t easy being the eldest.