Nujood Ali Essay

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Nujood Ali Married at just 10 years old Nujood Ali's childhood was tough and unlike anything the typical American experiences. In a tiny village in Yemen "Omma gave birth to (Nujood) the way she delivered all her children:at home...and begging God to protect her newborn"(Ali 24). Life in Ali’s village was tremendously difficult especially for the women, the village also lacked many of the basic needs that the average person should not have to live without. When finally allowed to attend school Ali was one of “Seventy pupils--all girls--crammed into the classroom”(Ali 37). In the United States most children take for granite going to school, but when Ali was able to go to school she was thrilled for the opportunity to learn. After moving to Sana, a large city far from Ali’s old village, her father “Aba was depressed. He hardly spoke”(Ali). Leaving Ali’s previous home for the big city took a huge toll on the entire family, with the largest impact on Ali’s father. Childhood was taken from Ali at an extremely young age, and even the belief childhood she did experience did not provide her with loving and caring environment that everyone deserves. At just ten years old Nujood Ali became an international icon when she became the youngest person to ever get divorced; and she has been uplifting girls in the same situation ever since. Inspired by Ali's triumph "Two other little girls-Arwa, nine years old and Rym, twelve-also undertook the legal struggle to break their barbaric bonds of matrimony" (Minoui 171). By sharing her story, Ali has emerged as a role model to young girls affected by similar situations. "On November 10, 2008, in New York City, the youngest divorcee in the world has just been named woman of the year by Glamour"(Minoui 169), which caused Ali's story to gain even more international attention. Even at such a young age Ali was able to touch people

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