A Life Cut Short: Remembering Alzeena Bashir

Roots of Conflict: Understanding the Political Turmoil in Sudan:

An outright war broke out in Sudan on April 15, 2023, amid a power struggle between the two main factions of the military regime. The conflict has its roots in the years before the 2019 uprising, leaving a legacy of mistrust and division. The two sides do not care about civilians or infrastructure, resulting in catastrophic consequences.

Local Teacher, Global Impact: The Life and Legacy of Alzeena Bashir:

Alzeena Bashir was born and raised in Obeid, with a rich family tree in North Sudan. Attended all of her education in Al Obeid, showing a strong dedication to her local community. During her youth and adulthood, Alzeena devoted herself to her family and work life, with a strong aspiration to contribute to Sudan's development and the education of its youth.

Her gentle and empathetic worldview made her a great candidate for pursuing a career in education, allowing her to directly contribute to society. Her passion for teaching was fueled by her desire to make a difference in the lives of her students and to help them reach their full potential. Through her work as a local school teacher, Alzeena was able to have a positive impact on the lives of many young people in her community.

The war in Sudan has been simmering for months, with tensions rising between military factions vying for power in the country. But for Alzeena Bashir, a local school teacher and beloved member of her community, the conflict felt distant and far removed from her everyday life.

Caught in the Crossfire: The Unfortunate Passing of Alzeena Bashir:

On a warm Saturday on April 15th, Alzeena was on her Eid break, Getting herself ready to bake biscuits for the Eid celebration. Nothing could have prepared her for the horrors that lay ahead. When the power in the house cut out (that’s typical in Sudan) when that happened she told her relative to go sit outside in the shade of the sun instead of the heat from all the cooking flames indoors since the AC wasn’t working anymore, he obliged and as he took a chair and went to set it up outside as he was opening the front door the aerial bomb struck. A loud bang followed by a warm wind & pressure from the explosion threw him forward.

The explosion was so strong the corrugated roof, personal belongings and items were found in neighbouring houses. an explosion rocked the area, sending shockwaves through his body.

He turned around to see a cloud of smoke forming above the house and his heart sank. In a cruel twist of fate, the rejuvenating bliss of baking became the last moments of her life. As it turned out, an aerial bomb had pierced the corrugated roof of Alzeena's house, exploding and igniting her living space. The gas tank in the kitchen also exploded, resulting in the house being destroyed and Alzeena burning alive.

With the country in crisis, there are no emergency services, therefore the neighbourhood quickly rallied together and using bare hands & buckets agonisingly extinguished the fire as they are holding back tears with a large lump in their throats seeing Alzeena amongst the rubble. She was found with her arms extended over her head protecting herself from the fire, and rubble. In the incident of the explosion losing her leg, and was burnt beyond recognition. At the end being buried with contact burns; her clothes and flesh melted together. Her death was a tragedy that shook her family and community. As you’ll see in the video attached the whole community rallied to quench the fire.

Alzeena was known for her kindness, as well as her unique ability to bring people together and create a strong sense of cohesion, even among family members scattered across the globe. She was a symbol of unity and pride for her family, and her loss was felt deeply by all who knew her.

Continuing the Legacy of Unity: A Fundraiser in Memory of Alzeena Bashir:

Through this fundraiser, we can keep Alzeena's memory alive and honour her legacy of bringing people together.

The money will be used for :

Sadaqah Jariyah - Local Charity Project.

Contributing towards:

• Rebuilding the community & her home.

• Help students cover textbooks, uniforms and living costs.

Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a significant impact in helping to rebuild lives and heal.