Last week I was visiting Amsterdam Noord and by chance I met Khanim Amien. A woman born in the north of Iraqi. She came to Holland during the Saddam regime. Khamin has an impressive life story and now she manged to do what really makes her  happy. Painting. She is born in 1939 and from that moment she started with learning and always, although the circumstances where not easy she tried to stay close by herself.  Through her creativity she never stops finding solutions for her changing difficult circumstances. In the Netherlands she immediately started to learn Dutch and she was able to spend a lot of her time painting. It is- just- a women life ‘s like there are a lot more over the world and through history. She married at 17 years with a man who was much older with already six children. She had to take care for his children and her own after a period. In the mean time she studied for midwifery. Because of this medical knowledge she takes care of the wounded during the Iran /Iraqi war and when the war started in the north of Iraqi she has to flee for her live and that brought her to Amsterdam Noord. And of course there is a lot more to tell. Like the people in the Marhslands and every were in Iraqi she also suffered form the Saddam period and there for I think it is important to mention her. Her work is very colorful and cheerful. Opposite from her direct life experience. A meeting in Amsterdam Noord on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Her site www.Hajikhanim.exto.nl

khanimamien