Child Soldier's Plea for Education

I

reassure my father, mother, and siblings

that I am still alive.

And

in the care of the Giants.

Thank God, we are comfortable and well cared for. They have treated us well.

They bring us food and drink, and treat us very well.

They care about us.

My name is Qasem

Saleh Ahmed Al-Mawali. I am 13.

I am from Hajour. I used to sell vegetables at the market.

I swear to God, they took me from the market.

I was not with them. My father did not tell me yes or no.

They took us, forced us, and shouted at us, and we

did not know how our families were.

I was scared. I do not know anything about weapons or

how to use them. I am still in school. We were staying in Hajjah Governorate.

They took me from my home in Hajour, brother. I was not with them, and my father did not say

anything, not even about money. The pickup driver took me.

They told me, “Come with us to a nearby place,” but my father did not agree.

My father

I pray to God against the one who wronged us, that one from the

village named Amin. He came, took me, and told them, “Here,

it is just a place near the market. I will take him.” Then, brother,

I did not realize it until I was in the middle of the front lines.

There was no food, and they did not bring us anything.

They humiliated us like that. Then they mistreated us.

I spent two days at the Bab al-Mandab front. Thank God, now I'm with my

brothers.

They're safe. They took good care of me, may God protect them. My father

works with them because of hunger. Yes,

he works with them, then comes back to farm

because of hunger and exhaustion. They humiliated us. They gloated

over us.

I work hard in school. I was among the top students. Thank God.

I hope I can return to school

and work hard. I want to become a doctor.

I don't want to be with my brothers.

I advise my brother not to go with them. He should stay home

and study, so he can become a doctor. My message to children

who are still not going with their brothers to join

the Houthi militias

is that they should stay at home and study with their families.