105-year-old Syrian woman spreads joy at refugee camp
Syrian Shaikha Al Azzam greets guests to her tent with the warmest of smiles
A105-year-old Syrian refugee keeps breaking into a song that speaks of her longing for her wartorn home.
Residing in the Mrajeeb Al Fahood Emirati-Jordanian refugee camp, Shaikha Al Azzam, with what little strength remains in her fading voice, sings the verses from a song composed by the late Egyptian artist Ahmad Abdul Qader in 1916.
She was only five then.
Al Azzam, the oldest woman in the camp, still manages to greet guests to her tent with the warmest of smiles. Despite her frailty due to age, and weak vision in one eye back due to diabetes, Al Azzam remains in general good health, to the extent that she is able to recall the names of all 66 of her grandchildren.
Al Azzam cannot read or write, but can still speak French fluently. She is the mother of three sons and one daughter. Her daughter, who is now 85 years old, gave birth to eight daughters and four sons, and is the only one of her children still alive.
“I spend most of my time with my daughter. We enjoy walking around the camp during sunset,” said Al Azzam.
Her neighbours often visit her tent to reminisce about memories of Homs, Aleppo, Damascus and Dara’a. Two of her grandchildren who reside in the camp visit her often and take care of her.
Salem Al Mazroui, the camp’s deputy director, said that the elderly are provided with a salary.