Izmael's story

Last week I met Izmael (I have changed his name, just out of respect)

It was his first day of living at the Casa Alianza residential center.  We were all outside playing football and I noticed him straight away, he seemed very uneasy, so I went to speak to him.

He told me how he had left home 2 and half years ago (he is now 15) and hasn't seen his family since.  He took up life of the streets after years of abuse at home.  On the streets he took up glue sniffing and smoking crack.  He also told me how he used to walk around one of Managua's main markets (where he also slept) with a knife tucked into trousers, which he used to rob various people in order to feed his drug habbitt.

When I spoke to Izmael last Monday, he seemed genuinely delighted he had found Casa Alianza, where he could finally get away from the past of such pain.  I took to Izmael immediately and knew I would have to be there help him through what would be a very difficult process.

The trouble is, as a result of years of living on the street and all that it entails, along with drug abuse, Izmael has been left with a scarred  and unattractive face.    The other kids at the residential center spotted this immediately and took to calling him 'grinch'.  In violence borne out of living on the streets, the other kids at the residential center bullied Izmael, beat him up and stole from him.

On Thursday Izmael confided in me, he said he couldn't take it anymore.  He wanted to leave the center.  He had had enough of it all.  I spoke with him, and told him all I could to convince him to stay.  I told him that if he stayed at Casa Alianza he could always count on my support and that of the other teachers, but on the streets, if he turns back to the drugs and walking around with a knife, for our own safety, there is very little we can do.

I then left him, as I was working outside of the center on that day.  When I came back I was delighted to see he was still there eating dinner with the rest of the kids.  It made me so happy to think somehow my words might have had on impact on him.

On Friday I was also working outside the center.  When I came back in the afternoon, Izmael had gone.  To be honest, I was left broken.  I have already seen enough of the streets of Managua to know the little hope it offers for a 15 year old, especially one in such a situation of high risk.  I have no idea where he has gone. 

I always knew a moment like this was going to happen to me during my time here, but it is still an enormously diffiicult thing to deal with.

I really hope that wherever he has spent this weekend, that Izmael might come back.  Sadly, I not sure I think he will.