This 9-Year-Old Syrian Refugee Wants Other Children To 'Fly Like A Bird'

Wearing a Minnie Mouse T-shirt and bows in her hair, 9-year-old Syrian refugee Nour Khaled Al Sa’eed recited a poem at the Zaatari refugee camp in northern Jordan.

In the poem, written by her teacher, Nour talks about turning on the television and seeing kids her own age searching for bread in the sand to eat. Filmmaker Keely Kernan captured her performing the powerful and poignant original poem in May 2016.

Below is an excerpt:

I am a little girl

My dream was to fly like a bird

But one day, reality, not a dream, nor an illusion

I was watching cartoons

I changed the channel,

suddenly suddenly, suddenly

I saw the news

I saw children like me

With defeated tears

Looking for a piece of bread in the sand

The houses around them abandoned

I started to cry

And ran calling for my mother

Mother, mother

Come see this image

Why is my dream of a bird

And their dream is of bread buried in the sand …

Back in September, Jordan took additional steps to allow more Syrian refugee children access to education even if all their paperwork is not in order. It is unclear if Nour remains in the camp.

Watch the full video above.