Dubai: The latest posts from the popular Humans of New York blog were from the streets of Cairo. Blogger Brandon Stanton was visiting Egypt this month and started doing interviews with Egyptians on the streets of Cairo and Alexandria.
One of his posts was an interview with a little girl, Hanan.
The girl, along with her older brother, was working on a street in Cairo, helping people park vehicles. They were trying to raise money for their school fees.
“This is my brother. We’re helping people into their parking spots. School starts in a few days and we’re trying to raise money for our school fees. Also, I want to get a bicycle because all my friends have bicycles.
"They show off their bicycles to tease me because I don’t have one. But wait until I get my bicycle. They’ll be so upset,” Hanan was quoted in the blog as saying.
“We’ve been saving money for three months. But sometimes we buy Pepsi. And also peanuts. And, yesterday, a street vendor came by with jewellery, and my brother bought me this necklace. And he also bought me a watch, but it broke. And a ring, but I lost it. He really loves me so much,” Hanan was quoted in Humans of New York.
Support
Hanan and her brother Essam received huge support on social media, with more than 2,000 comments and 6,500 shares.
People from all over the world were trying to reach out to them with help.
One commented, “Where did you take this photo in Cairo? I want to find her and get her a bicycle??!”
The children like to drink Pepsi, and it caught the attention of Pepsi Arabia. The company offered to help them with their school fees.
Brandon replied to the comments, announcing Pepsi’s offer of help.
“I know that many of you were concerned about the kids helping with parking. You might remember they mentioned drinking Pepsi. Well, Pepsi was so excited about the shout out; they somehow located the kids and paid their school fees! So a happy ending there, and very cool of Pepsi,” Brandon wrote.
Siblings' story
Pepsi Arabia posted on their Facebook page: “Thank you Humans of New York for shedding light on these siblings’ story. We managed to get in touch with them yesterday and we’re excited to get them ready for school this year.”
Stories of real Egyptians
Started in November 2010 by photographer Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York has amassed a huge following through social media from all over the world.
One can see that Brandon has done a great job portraying the lives of Egyptians from the streets directly to the screens of his 18 million followers from around the world.
One of his post is about a mum in Alexandria who dresses her two girls identically. In the comments, mothers started posting pictures of how they dress their children alike, from all over the world.
On another post, more than 1,800 followers showed respect and admiration to a man who refused to abort his special needs son and showed absolute devotion to him by spending all his time helping his son, Ibrahim, with his limited resources.
“I love him a little more than his brothers, because he needs it a little more,” the father says in post.
When he expressed his fears for his son, he got flooded with comments of reassurance from parents struggling the same struggle in different cities of the world.
Ibrahim’s father said; “I’m getting old. I had a major heart episode two weeks ago. I collapsed in the street and all I could think about was him…I’m afraid other people won’t be as nice to him…He’s very difficult to control. But I have patience. I’ll do whatever he needs. I just hope he'll always have someone to do the same.”
One man assured the father that Ibrahim’s four brothers will take on the responsibility. “I understand as a brother and someone who will have that responsibility one day,” he said.
Another mother from the US with same situation related to the Egyptian father story.
“I have three sons and my middle child has autism. One day my older son who is only 6 says to me ‘momma, please don’t worry about Rey bear when you get really old and die I’ll make sure to take care of him, just make sure you’re old okay?’” another woman shared. The moment “made me realize maybe I’m doing something right after all.”
Strong and confident women
Most of the interviews posted are of Egyptian women.
In an article he wrote recently, Brandon explained that he had a bias for Egypt; he found Egyptian women strong and confident.
“The stories from Egypt therefore have a bias toward strong and confident women—and I don’t mind that at all,” he writes.
One of the posts is about a woman whose husband passed away. She had to take the lead and run the family business.
“I was married when I was seventeen. My whole life was my family. I barely left the house because my husband brought me everything I needed. I was far too innocent. I had no idea about anything, but the world has a way of teaching you. Fifteen years ago my husband died and I had to take the lead of the family. He owned an upholstery shop. The workers tried to convince me to let them handle the business, but they were hiding the profits from me. I had to take over. There was no other choice. My kids were still in school and that money belonged to them. So I began going to the shop every day. At first the workers tried to box me out. They knew I didn’t understand the business so they wouldn’t explain anything. They hid the numbers from me. And when a client entered the store, they wouldn’t even introduce me as the owner. But I sat there and watched every move they made. I memorized everything. And after forty days, there were some new rules at the shop. The workers were not allowed to speak to the client directly.”
Another interview was with a woman who told how guilt was eating her up, and how she was not doing well, thinking she killed her sister after wishing her death.
The woman was struggling to go on with her life.
“My mom has nobody to care for her but me. The last stroke affected her brain so badly. She’s like the living dead. All she can do now is breathe. Last month, I found a small wound on her toe.
"I thought it was something small. It looked so small. So I just put a bandage on it. But it was the beginning of gangrene. I should have known. It spread and the doctors had to amputate her leg. It’s all my fault, but I was under so much pressure. I’m a single mom. I work as a housekeeper.
My sister hid her cancer from us
"What do I focus on? What do I pay for? My kids’ education? Food? My mom’s care? It’s just too much. It’s all on me. I called my sister last week and screamed at her. I screamed at her for never calling. I screamed at her for not helping.
"I told her that I wished she would die. And my wish came true. Four days ago she passed away. When I saw her at the morgue, she had no hair, no eyebrows, nothing.
"She had been hiding cancer from us. I feel so guilty. My wish came true. But I didn’t know because she never called! I haven’t eaten since yesterday. Only a cup of milk. I can’t keep doing this. It’s too much pressure. I’m not doing well. I’m not OK,” the post records her misery.
