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Writer's pictureAhtaram Shin

From Fields to Fitness: A Journey of Strength and Survival

By Hafizur Rahman, 24-Nov-2024



Seddik Ahmed, 60 years old, lives in Camp-2W where he works as a volunteer at the Nutrition Center, a job he has proudly held for nearly seven years. Seddik Ahmed lives with his wife and four children, a nuclear family. Seddik is originally from Lafadok Prenshi village in Myanmar. He was a hardworking cultivator, a sport lover and prefer to have healthy living.


In Myanmar, Seddik Ahmed led an active and hardworking life as a cultivator. His days were spent cultivating the fields around his village to support his family. Farming was not just a job for him; it kept him physically strong as he worked long hours planting, harvesting, and carrying heavy load. "The memory of my farming life was so raw and fresh yet. I was never tired or fade up from working my farm as it is a legacy of my forefathers and main in income for Rohingya,"


Despite his profession is farming, he always love sport and have time for sports activities. "Football was my favorite and used to play with his village sport team. He played as a defender, competing against neighboring teams from Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Maungdaw, and Tombazer in every year's annual competition. "The sport wasn’t just a source of fun—it helped me to stay fit and brought the community together from different regions,". Besides football, he often joined others in running and outdoor games, which strengthened both his body and mind.


In the earlier time of 2017, he got a chance to work as a volunteer of Nutrition Center, at UNHCR. It makes him to stay responsible and active, ensuring the facility provides essential services to the community and those who visit it. Even now, he keeps up his loving physical activities.

He said: "in my free time, I often play my football with young and youths until today. I also enjoys supporting and helping my neighbors with small tasks, like carrying supplies and other. As a result, Even at 60 years old, I am fit and remind me of my days in Myanmar. Sometimes, I even organizes friendly games to bring people together, believing that staying active is key to staying strong in both body and spirit."


In 2017, when Myanmar military driven out Rohingya by burning their village, killing and rape, among them, Seddik Ahmed and his family were one of them who were forced to flee. "Everything was changed in single a day. Leaving behind my garden, home, and beloved village games was not easy at all for me, even though we had to escaped to Bangladesh to find only safety,". Many Rohingya expected to find safety and justice from international mechanism but it remained as an impossible imagination and the commitment of international community's remained as a mouthpiece. Gradually, the international community's attention is getting up and leaving the Rohingya behind. Neither they get safety in camp nor have justice.



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