This book depicts a Somali woman on her journey to change her fate and live a successful life which is different from her village people. She ran away from home when her father decides to marry her to a fifty years old man and there goes her journey begins. She ran away from home without knowing exactly which direction to go. She faces a lot of problems and misfortunes along her way to her aunt house in Mogadishu. She is attacked by a hungry lion and almost being raped twice. However, she finally makes it to her aunt house, but this is not the end of her suffering. She is fortunate to get some shelters from her relatives but they never treat her like their own children. She has to work as maid in their house in order to secure her “free” stay at their houses. She does all the house chores starting early in the morning until late evening. Besides, she also takes up all kind of jobs, including the men’s work in order to earn a living. She continues her life as a nomad as she moves from one relative to another relative house and from friends’ house to hotel. One day, her beauty is accidentally discovered by a famous photographer which eventually changes her life completely. She becomes a model and eventually, a supermodel.
In this novel, we can clearly see that there is a vast difference between the white people and black people lifestyle. While there are people who are so used to the term “toilet”, there are people from other part of the world who don’t even see, hear or use it before. While there are people who keep pursuing a higher education, there are people who don’t even get the chance to learn the alphabets A till Z. They can’t even secure their basic needs, what else education? People in the third world country are living in poverty. Their life or death is all depends on weather. If there is rain, there is food and they will survive. If someone is sick, they can do nothing as there is no medication supply. Death is such a common thing in their country although they still feel sad for the lost of their family members. The native traditional mindset is the main factor that contributes to the high death rate in that country. Ritual practice is conducted without concerning the health problem that might be bear by the patient after the operation. People in the third world country are suffering but no one from the rich country is willing to help them but continues to look down and take advantage of them.
Despite the hostile environment that Waris is born from, her success is a great breakthrough and a big courage for the African woman to follow her footstep. She is a tough and strong woman with ambitious dream of becoming a model one day in the future. To make her dream come true, she leaves her home without much considering about how she is going to survive without any aid from her family members anymore. Her route to success is not an easy one but the courage and determination she possesses have led her to overcome all the obstacles one after another. She perseveres and she strives for her dream. She learns the survival skills in the new world such as cooking skill and the language English. Besides, she is a filial daughter. Thinking of the probability of her mother’s suffering after her run-away, she accepts the job of brick-carrying worker to earn some money to be sent back to her mother. Besides, she never forgot about her mother after being a successful model. She never gives up tracking her mother and they eventually reunite at Ethiopia.
Despite the advancement in technology that we are relishing now, there are people in other part of the world who has been left out. They are still blinded by their own traditional belief system. Besides, discrimination and oppression still occur in their country where women are considered the weaker gender with no power and control over anything. Man takes control of everything including their daughters’ marriage. It’s a shame for woman not to have husband, so it’s important for them to get married. Literacy level among the people in poor country is very low as they seldom have the opportunity to receive proper education. They have problem in securing their basic needs such as food and water, what else education? Compared to them, we are thousand times wealthier than them in any aspects. Therefore, we should appreciate what we own now including our healthy bodies. If possible, lend a helping hand to those from poor country so that they can have more comfortable life.
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