Tomorrow's Children – أولاد بكرا

Hawa B. Toure, Editor and Producer

Hawa is a film editor, non-profit and international development professional based in Washington D.C. She is originally from Conakry, Guinea.

How do you feel about the Syrian crisis and what is your connection to it?

Like most people, I passively watched what was happening in Syria. I was horrified, saddened, and disappointed about what was going on. Via social media, I saw countless graphic images of the devastating impact of this conflict, to the point that I became desensitized. To watch a violent war play out before my eyes and to feel like I couldn’t do anything about it, made it that much more tragic. Getting closer to Mouhanad and his family made me feel connected to the conflict on a human level.

What made you join this project?

I became a part of Tomorrow’s Children when Mouhanad, my college friend, asked me to check out a project that him and his sister shot in Turkey. He wanted to know if I would be interested in helping edit the project. I stayed on the project when I heard the interviews. Hearing what these kids are going through, I felt compelled to help share their stories, no matter how long it would take.

How is the Syrian crisis connected globally in your opinion?

I won’t give an academic answer for this. In my opinion it’s simple, the Syrian crisis is a human crisis. The things that are happening to the Syrian people could happen to any of us. Humans are being killed, humans are being ripped away from their homes, humans like you and me.  

Do you feel connected with the kids in Tomorrow’s Children? Which one is closest to your heart?

One of the kids closest to my heart is Amjad. Amjad was the connector as he introduced us to all the other children. In a way, without him, we would not have heard these stories. I found him captivating. He has a larger-than-life personality. There are several clips of him leading songs and chants with his friends. He was the leader and comedian of the group. If he is given an opportunity, I can see him working in show business.

Most people feel helpless as they watch the crisis in Syria unfold.  How do you think you can make a difference? How can other people, especially millennials, make a difference?

Working on this project has connected me to the crisis on a personal level, which is the first step to making a difference. Being aware of the issue and understanding that it can happen to any of us, has prompted me to be proactive. We spent a long time creating this documentary about real kids that are living through this conflict. Hopefully, it will make a difference by raising awareness to their plight and it will prompt other people in my age group to do more.

For the future, is there hope?

I hope that Tomorrow’s Children gives audiences the human connection that I got from working on it. I hope that it can make people feel like they can do something to help Syria. The outcome of the events in Syria may seem hopeless now, but with every bad situation, there has to be a happy ending. I am hopeful that there will be justice for Syria and the Syrian people. The kids, Mouhanad, and his family give me this hope.