The faces behind our service providers
This exhibition presents a series of portraits produced by Ameni Abida, an alumnus of Georgetown University in Qatar class of 2019. Each image captures the essence of our campus’s service providers, emphasizing their roles and significance by celebrating the individuals who make our university a better place every day.
Curatorial Statement
Every once in a while, I return to Georgetown and revisit the halls I used to call home. I do not recognize that many people in the building anymore, but every time I come back, I think about how much the community as a whole shaped me and who I am today, including the service providers.
This exhibition is a little initiative to give back to some of the people who keep the building running, clean, and safe. I spent the last few months interviewing and painting seven of them. I asked them to tell me stories that they’d like the students to hear and transcribed them next to the paintings. From their favorite memories of home to their long-term plans, to their current realities, these people who have opened up to me have given me conversations that I wish I had had when I was still a student. They’ve shown me that there is much more to learn beyond the classrooms (such as the basement or the hallways).
A portion of the proceeds of the prints will go to the particular service workers who have shared their stories and the service workers’ funds
Moses, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
My hobby is music. I love music more than anything. I’m a singer and songwriter, but now because of the responsibilities here I cannot concentrate. Nowadays, for real, I’m kind of frustrated. I cannot concentrate, I cannot come up with good stories, a good something to write about because of the environment. Actually, after Qatar, I think I want to go back home and start my studio, so that I can resume my career. I had like 10 songs in the past which are already recorded, but they aren’t promoted. I still have many more still in writing, not yet recorded. I wrote for some artists, not too much, just two back in Uganda. I hope to restart this dream someday.
Zainabu, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
I’m 30 years old now. I’m a single mother of two kids. I’m the last born – we are eight. But I’m the main breadwinner in my family because my older siblings don’t have jobs. When I came to Qatar, I left my kids. It’s hard, but what to do? My second born was just two years old, and my first born 8 years. I worked like six months, I had issues at home – family issues, so I had to go back because of the inheritance and so on. My big brother called me to go back, I went, we settled, and after that we had plans that I would send him money so that he could buy land on my behalf and start a project and build a house for the family. Two months after coming back from Kenya, my big brother died. It was a hard time for me because he was the only person I could trust with money, and he supported me in every need that I had. So, from that time, everything of mine collapsed – my savings, everything, I used everything. So, I started over in January this year. I try to save, but you know, my salary is low. But I try to save – I bought a piece of land in the coastal region of Mombasa. I’m trying again to save so that I can start my project. I also make sure to send money to my family every month, along with my kid’s school fees. I try to balance my savings as best as I can even though, they’re too low. But I try my best. Alhamdulillah what I get is what I share with my family. Anything for my family, I’m there for them. That’s my story.
Beatrice, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
I am studying to become a nurse. It has always been a dream of mine to become a nurse. When I was working in Ghana, there wasn’t much money to make, and that’s why I moved here. I have not forgotten about my dream, so I started to work on it here. I started from scratch. Now, I’m currently a nursing assistant here in Qatar. I want to specialize in eyes, because of my previous encounters with those who are blind. I think that the most important thing in life is to be determined. Determination and persistence, no matter what the circumstances are, will always lead you to a better outcome. Keep pushing, and you are going to succeed.
Caudishia, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
To get a job in my country is hard. Coming here was also hard. I had to leave my friends, my family, and my home to come. It’s not easy to stay far, but I came for a reason. I don’t want to depend on my parents. I want to depend on myself. I want to make a good life for myself and my future kids. I want to have a good foundation for myself and my future. I want to be a role model to my siblings because I’m the firstborn in my parent’s house. I want my sisters to depend on themselves, not borrow money from anyone. You need to get out there and build your future. No one can come and build your future, only yourself. For fun? I love reading and novels. Currently, I’m studying a course in nursing assistance. I like going outside and moving when my head has lots of thoughts. People need to be grateful in this world. You need to put your trust in God. This life is not easy, I have my own principles. Never let anyone let you down. Or anyone to tell you you are not enough. Be you and be yourself. Every morning if someone tells you can’t do something, go to the mirror, check yourself, and I say as Caudishia: “I’m beautiful, I’m enough, I have the strength to do that something. God help me, show me the way”. Any challenge that comes your way, call God and remember to always be grateful for what you have.
Francis, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
Currently, I’m 43 years old. I came here to Qatar around March 2022. I was born in Kenya. I worked as a nurse assistant in one of the major hospitals there for quite a long, from 2003 to 2017. That was the time I lost my job there. After the hospital was taken over by another company, they dismissed all the workers working under the old management. From that time, I hustled. Being a father of five, I had the issue that I had to settle down. By the time I was coming here, one of my kids was in high school and the other two were to join high school. It was good because I could pave the way forward for them. Currently, as I speak, my daughter is doing a diploma nursing in one of the major hospitals in Kenya. In my life, I didn’t have an alternative, but I had to know how to make sure I educated my kids because that was a priority. I don’t want them to live the life I’ve lived there. When I came here, I had never worked as a security, but I was promoted to the lead security guard of the team. I really felt encouraged. Even speaking in English was difficult for me because in Kenya we usually speak mostly Swahili, and I haven’t spoken English since high school – twenty years back. To come here and understand how people pronounce each and every word was difficult, but really, I appreciate Georgetown. It’s a good place, I feel comfortable and accommodated. I feel blessed.
Peddi, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
In a month, I’m going back to India to visit my family after not seeing them for two years. I’m going for two months. My biggest dream in life is probably to see my wife happy. We got married a little bit before I moved to Qatar. I met her in school, I loved her and then I married her. My happiest moment with my wife was when I told my family I was in love with someone and they accepted her. That was my happiest moment.
Bernice, 2023
Digital Painting Print
1668 x 2388 px
110 x 160 cm
My dream is to move to Canada and pursue a career in fashion. I’m actually a designer, and I think it would be good for me to study fashion learn more about the field, and hopefully work in it. The way I am – fashion suits me. It represents me as a being and makes me feel so much better about myself and the world, and that’s why I do it. I want to tell the students, if there are any that study fashion here, that they are very lucky because learning about it – each and every day that goes by – shows you how fashion is something that is very profitable. If you know how to design and make things, you can go very far. Designing brings me a lot of joy, to be honest., it’s probably one of my favorite things about life. I also love making new friends, I love entertaining, going out, and socializing. These things make me really happy.