Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York: Fatoumata, 29, from Guinea

Photo by Sasha Nialla

Fatoumata’s photograph and story were curated as part of the photo and storytelling exhibit, “Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York.”

“It’s been sixteen months since I first arrived in New York. I never imagined I would stay here for so long.  I decided to come to the US because my son was sick, and no doctor in Guinea was able to establish a diagnostic. So I came because I wanted to get the best care for him.

“It has not been easy as I am a single mother, and I do not have any family, friends, or other people who can help me here in New York. In addition, because of all of the traveling I had to do by subway and bus carrying my son with me (I didn’t have anyone to take care of him and couldn’t afford childcare), I had a miscarriage last year. I had to undergo a surgical procedure to remove the baby called curettage, without any anesthesia and in front of my two-year-old son.  It was very traumatizing to say the least. Now I am just working on putting all these hard times behind me and trying my best to be the greatest mother to my son.”