I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

“A tiny wisp of a thing, Nujood in neither a queen nor a princess. She is a normal girl with parents and plenty of brothers and sisters. Like all children her age, she loves to play hide-and-seek and adores chocolate. She likes to make colored drawings […] When she smiles, a tiny dimple appears in her left cheek. […] One cold and gray February evening in 2008, however, that appealing and mischievous grin suddenly melted into bitter tears when her father told her that she was going to wed a man three times her age. It was as if the whole world had landed on her shoulders.” 

Minoui introduces Nujood as an ordinary little girl who enjoys the same activities that many other children love, such as playing games and drawing. She contrasts this with the very adult burden of becoming a child bride.

“Poor people are so hungry that they’ve got stones where their hearts should be, and no time to feel pity for the fates of others.” 

Nujood reflects on the numbing effects of poverty on the citizens of Sana’a, noting that it hardens them to the struggles of others. She ruminates on this in the context of her father’s struggles with unemployment and the lack of help she receives from others in general. 

“I’m a simple village girl whose family had to move to the capital, and I have always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no.” 

Nujood’s statement demonstrates her awareness of the patriarchal culture in which she grew up and that she is making a conscious decision to act against it. The statement betrays some anger and bitterness as well as the strength of her resolve.