Adam is a 12 yr old boy who lives in a refugee camp near Muhajariya, Sudan. Like hundreds of thousands of others, he was forced to leave his home as a result of the conflict in Darfur. During a health education workshop at his camp, a Medecin Sans Frontieres worker recorded him singing this moving song:

"He had asked to be able to stand up in front of the thousand-strong crowd and sing. At the time I had no idea what the lyrics meant but the way he sang went straight to my heart. His voice was strong and did not waver, but tears rolled down his cheeks as he was singing. After the song he sat with his head in his hands, ignoring the applause..." (Caroline Gale, MSF)

Listen to Adam's song here: http://www.podcast.msf.org/segments/2006/adams_song.mp3

Adam's song:

For the sake of our mother - we learn
For the sake of our father - we learn
For the sake of our brother - we learn
For the sake of our sister - we learn

Even if our house is burned down - because of this we should learn
Even if our house is burned down - because of this we should learn
Our villages are empty and for this we should also learn
Our villages are empty and for this we should also learn

For the sake of our mother - we learn
For the sake of our father - we learn

We should make our voices heard so that we can learn
We should make our voices heard so that we can learn

For the sake of Darfur, for the sake of Darfur - we learn

For the sake of our mother - we learn
For the sake of our father

Even if the school is damaged - we learn
Even if the school is damaged - we learn
We hope the bullets become chalk - we learn
We hope the bullets become chalk - we learn

For the sake of our mother - we learn
For the sake of our father - we learn
For the sake of our father - we learn

For the sake of Sudan - we learn
For the sake of Sudan - we learn

For the sake of Darfur, for the sake of Darfur - we learn

For the sake of our mother - we learn
For the sake of our father - we learn


"Adam sought refuge in Muhajariya after the fighting in Darfur began. He is 12 years old. So much of his conscious memory is tainted by war. His sombre and shy appearance is really a cover for an understanding and strength of character well beyond his years. His schooling has been erratic because of the conflict. All of the people I have met value education and are hungry to learn.

When I read the translated lyrics, the impact of Adam's song was even more powerful. I liked the song because it shows there is suffering in Darfur but not necessarily helplessness. But since the time I listened to Adam during the workshop, the conflict has come to Muhajariya again.

Armed men burned 200 houses near the town market and forcibly removed displaced people from the town. Then others in the camps near the town started to move in search of security. Among them are Adam and his family, who have been forced to flee once again further south."

(Caroline Gale, MSF's medical team leader in Muhajariya, Sudan)

source: http://www.msf.org/msfinternational/...thod=full_html

Donations for Darfur: http://www.dec.org.uk/