Having been brought up in a conservative household, my dad brought us up with a strong Islamic identity. My passion for writing began when I was 16 years old. The feeling of being marginalised in my society and the negative perception of my faith made me feel a strong determination to reclaim my faith as its image had been distorted by the media. From then on, I realised the power of words and how influential writing is and has always been. Writing helped me to express myself, to explain myself without being held back. Writing was a means to say what I had to say and put to paper exactly what I felt. The power of writing goes as far back, as the legacies left from prominent people from the past are still alive today through this very tool.
My desire to write children’s books has originated from the same root, knowing how effective books are for children and what you can teach through its words. Having worked within the primary education sector, I was amazed with how much information is retained at such an early stage of life. Thereafter, my desire within me has enhanced through my own experience of being a mother to two young boys who have grown in their love for books from the age of 6 months. Reading plays an integral role in their development socially and mentally, and can contribute towards shaping identities and giving them confidence in who they are. This has been my motivation as a mother, writer and author and so I continue to write.
‘Every child is a talker’