NARZINISSO MIRZOEVA

SHOIDANA VILLAGE, TAJIKISTAN

I was born in 1977 in Shoidana village. I was the fifth of seven children and have four sisters and three brothers. I finished school in 1994, took nursing courses for 6 months, received a diploma and started working in the hospital. I got married in 1998 and had three sons. Unfortunately my oldest son got sick. They diagnosed him with leukemia. We took him to the city, hoping they would cure him. He spent eight months in the hospital but died when he was five years old. I always remember his last days in the hospital. Then another tragedy followed. My husband married another woman. I took him to court. He promised that he would help support our sons but those were just empty words. I divorced him.

I have been working in the workshop since 2013. I used the first money I earned to buy shoes for my sons. We now live of off my salary. When I have free time I make homemade dried fish and sell it. I am trying to support my children the best I can. My dream is that my sons will be good, educated men, that I will be proud of them and we will live happily and in peace.