Zouitina

So many times we have been ashamed in the name of you Zouitina,

How much have we been laughed at for our muddy shoes,

How many were chased away because we were from Zouitina,

We then exclaimed “Long live Zouitina“,

How many despised us saying that it was only Zouitina,

Without roads, without a mosque,

Finally came the people through whom we rose,

Drawing joy in our hearts and smiles on our lips,

Alhamdullah alik to zouitina,

You are our crown Zouitina,

No more ignorance, no more illiterates,

How much we dreamed of our mothers with the book in their hands,

You made it for us,

How we’ve been looked down on,

Now we’re up there,

Thanks to you and some people,

Who would have thought that these people once locked up each at home,

would have put hand in hand,

How many said they couldn’t do anything in this little neighborhood,

We were small and now we have grown and risen Zouitina,

How many workshops on your soil we have cocreated to see you better Zouitina,

How many saw us occupied by you and laughed,

And now they hope to have a bit of you Zouitina,

Who would have thought that the day would come when we could express our talents,

So much ignorance dominated us,

Who would have thought that little children would recite the book of God,

For all this, thanks to some people.

Souhayla J.

Young woman from Hay Zouitina Community, 2012