#the gambia
Teddi Jallow grew up in a small village in The Gambia. Although education opportunities for women in The Gambia were slim, she walked four miles to and from school every day, in the hot or cold weather.
In her last year of high school, her husband of two months, Omar Bah, faced many threats because of his position as a journalist. A dictator ruled The Gambia and through his power its citizens lacked freedom of speech. Those who went against the dictator’s views faced serious threats and danger including death. Even in the face of this daunting imposition, her husband continued to pursue his career and due to his reporting Bah’s family began receiving threats.
“We don’t call it a war zone but it’s kind of like that. Because whatever you said, if you were opposed to him [the dictator], you were dead. They killed so many people there, and he was the guy who was out there writing whatever he saw.”
Because of the seriousness of the situation, Bah had no choice left but to flee the country. He spent his first year away in Ghana and then was relocated to Rhode Island as a refugee where he spent two more years before reuniting with Jallow. In June of 2009, Jallow began her journey to her new home. Her trip took a day and a half and three different flights: from The Gambia to Belgium, Belgium to Newark, and Newark to Rhode Island.
The decision to come to Rhode Island was out of their hands. However, it ended up being a perfect fit coming from one of the smallest countries in Africa to the smallest state in the United States. Upon arrival, Jallow was welcomed by Bah and some of his colleagues. The adjustment to her new environment posed some challenges that both Jallow and Bah had to overcome, such as getting used to transportation, housing, and new foods.
A memory that Jallow recalls from her first day in Rhode Island was her surprise to see all of the cars in the parking lot, thinking that they were all for sale. Bah had to explain that those were the cars that people drove around every day. This concept was new to her and after some hesitation she was able to recognize the fact that people didn’t walk to places as much as she was used to.
After having some time to adjust to this new way of life, Jallow began studying nursing at the University of Rhode Island during the week, while also working throughout the weekend and raising two young boys, Barry, 3, and Samba, 1 ½. Even with this busy schedule, she continues to look forward with a positive attitude. Jallow is inspired by the independence and motivation that she sees around her.
“You see these seventeen, sixteen year old girls that are working. Like, everyone here is working and independent. And everyone is going to school, so you see that is the life that everybody wants. Being able to be independent: go to school, go to work, be yourself. You don’t have to follow anybody to give you anything. You don’t have to be like ‘Oh you are a woman you have to stay in your house, take care of the children’. No that’s not the case. So you have all of these opportunities; you need to make use of them.”
Jallow understands the importance of education, especially since it wasn’t easy for her obtain in her home country. In Rhode Island, Jallow wants to improve the education system so that youth may see its value. She is also concerned about bullying in schools, regarding the lack of understanding that the children have of each other’s differences.
“Children are our country’s future. When they go to school, they are the [future] presidents, they are the [future] law makers, they are the [future] jobholders; they are everything for us. So if you educate kids to be better, I think that will make a big difference.”
In order to create a more welcoming environment, Jallow believes that it is important for immigrants and refugees not to be the recipients of sympathy.
“Incorporate them, let them be independent, let them be themselves, [help them] to be able to do things for themselves, because we have so many opportunities here.”
In light of all that Jallow and her family have faced, she continues to work hard to better her future and to teach her kids to take advantage of every opportunity presented to them.
Written and compiled by Katherine Cantillo and Hannah Sorila
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