By Sarah

I felt afraid when we got the news that the government was attacking innocent people who just wanted their rights back. What was happening to our country? We had run out of money and fuel. First, the gas cylinders became explosive, but we couldn’t help it. We needed food, .so we willingly brought them anyway. Children, mothers, and fathers were killed. But no one cared. After all, this was just a tiny issue; the government could solve this eventually. That’s what I thought. But I was wrong.

A few months later, prices started to soar. It was upsetting not being able to eat what we liked or buy what we wanted. We could only drink plain tea now! I was not too fond of it. When I asked my mom why we couldn’t have milk or biscuits anymore, she told me milk wasn’t available! We had to start rationing to save money because everything was so expensive. The usual things like eating cake or drinking milk were something close to luxury. By the end of February, we entered an epoch of darkness.

I hated sitting in the dark. It was like I was under a hot blanket. We couldn’t play, eat or even study until the power cut ended. And let me tell you, waiting for the electricity to come back isn’t fun. For how long would this continue?

Once people started expressing their anger through protests, it gave me hope. Maybe the president would leave. Perhaps our country could become peaceful once more.

But of course, our dear president had a different idea. He didn’t like people rebelling against him, so he decided to silence them. He decided to use bullets against them. Some people fought on his behalf! They attacked and hurt the brave protesters shamelessly even though they knew that the protesters were fighting for them as well. I was afraid. I started to cry. I asked my mom whether we could leave the country, but she told me something like that was close to impossible. We don’t even have passports. And look at the passport queue! It was always crowded. When would all this stop? When could we go back to living in peace?

But it obviously didn’t just stop there.

The economic crisis had taken a toll on schools as well. I was furious! How could the government be so irresponsible? They were stealing from us as well! We had to adjust to having online classes every other week because of fuel problems. And it makes it so challenging to study!

What started as a small problem has now spread throughout the country like a virus. What would I do during the exams? We couldn’t even find the correct textbooks. Once school had started, I was always uncertain and anxious. What if no one came to pick me up because of traffic and petrol queues? How would I go home?

To top it off, the country’s run out of medicine! I see my grandmother worrying about her health every day because some of her essential medicines are not to be found.

The problems of the country are scary.

A lot of people are stuck here without a way to leave. The state of the country worsens every day. We’ve run out of fuel, food and money.

The president is evil! He won’t let his citizens be free.

He is a greedy man; why would he care? Nothing can hurt him! He’s the president; he can order the authorities to throw tear gas and shoot innocent people. It won’t hurt him in any way. He can shut down schools for weeks without it affecting him. After all, he’s not the one who’s going to get an education! I am angry with the president and his two brothers. They don’t have to stand for days, maybe even starving in the petrol queue waiting for a refill. They don’t have to fight for rights! How do they even have the guts to send police officers to shoot innocent people!

I am afraid for my future. How will I pass my exams if school is not consistent? How can we buy food if everything is so expensive?

The government steals our money and rights, the student’s right to get a good education. I am VERY angry with the president!

How can he smile and apologize to a camera, thinking it’s enough to make up for the destruction he has brought upon the country? How can he believe that what he does is right?

As a student, I am privileged because I have a device; my mom has a device. I have access to my homework at any time. But some children are less fortunate. what will happen to their future? I worry.

What happy stories will I tell my grandchildren if this nightmare is my childhood? How can I weave beautiful stories for them if this was my reality? I wish the president would one day leave this country and never return. I hope I will soon live in a country that’ll give me the childhood that was stolen from me.