Young Voices

Nearly a quarter of Kuwait's entire population is under the age of 14 and yet with the exception of school assemblies, we never hear their voices. During Ramadan, Kuwait Times likes to publish a special series that engages with its readership in a more direct, personal way to learn their concerns, issues and viewpoints.

This Ramadan, we will chat with some of our youngest readers about their lives in Kuwait, in an attempt to see the world through their eyes. What do they see for the future of our beautiful country? What would they improve and how would they change it? By listening to their future plans, stories, and experience in Ramadan, we can remind ourselves and hopefully our readers of the ties that bind us all together as a species. These are the voice of Kuwait's future and we invite them to share their thoughts with us here.

Alifa Iqbal is a 10-year-old girl who is passionate about baking. She is creative in art and craft and likes bicycling. "I am very friendly - I like making new friends; I enjoy playing with babies; I love shopping and travelling and exploring new places around the world. My dream is to go on a world tour," she stated.

Alifa is planning to spend Ramadan and Eid in Kuwait, then she might travel. In August, she has a family wedding to attend. "I like Kuwait because I have my family here and I like going to the variety of restaurants in Kuwait. I have a lot of Kuwaiti friends - they are really kind to me. Kuwait is an amazing place - may Allah bless it more," she said.

Alifa likes to go to Kidzania, Aqua Park, Magic Planet and Cartoon Network World for fun. However, she believes that Kuwait could be a more beautiful and better place if we plant more trees to make the country look greener and fresher. Fasting during Ramadan is something she began doing when she was younger. Her favorite thing about Ramadan is spending more time with her family, playing and fasting together. She also prefers to eat shrimps, Chinese food and fruit salads.

In the holy month, she recalls the most recent funny incident that happened on the first day of Ramadan. "My youngest brother was eating an ice cream and I had a craving as well, so I rushed to the freezer and took one out and had a bite or two. Then I realized I was fasting and I ran to the sink to rinse my mouth," she said.

If you would like your child to be interviewed for this special series, please email us at [email protected]

By Athoob Al-Shuaibi