Omer is a member of the Fulani tribe from the Gadaref region of Eastern Sudan.  The Fulani are traditionally nomadic people herding cattle, goats, and sheep across the Sudanese border into Ethiopia for pasture grazing. 
 
In late July 2002 Omer was traveling in a tribal group with their cattle through the area of Yap, Ethiopia when they happened upon a battle.  A fierce exchange of gunfire erupted and the group that Omer was traveling with was dispersed in the confusion.  Omer was trying to flee when he was shot in the right leg.  He managed to run for sometime on his bleeding leg but eventually he fell and became unconscious.
 
When Omer awoke he found himself in the Dildi Camp in Ethiopia.  He remained there in the small hospital for about three months.  The staff tended to his leg by regularly changing the dressing.  Eventually two doctors named Saray and Sagar came to examine his leg and suggested that he should have surgery.  They did not explain the type of procedure they planned, so imagine the shock Omer must have felt when he awoke and found they had amputated his right leg just below the knee.
 
Omer stayed in the hospital for another month, and he was advised he would be able to use an artificial leg after six months.  When Omer was taken from the hospital he was sent to stay with a Sudanese man living in Ethiopia.  After approximately another month Omer returned to the Dildi Camp to meet with some Ethiopian authorities that were inquiring about his injury.  The authorities wanted to know who was involved in the attack and what their motives may have been.  Omer explained that he had no idea who was involved or why. 
 
After he had fully recovered a prosthetic leg was provided, and the Sudanese Opposition Community tried to arrange for his return to Sudan.  Omar didn’t have a passport or any other documentation.  The Sudanese Community members hired some expert men who could take Omar on camelback through small winding routes back to Sudan.  These men were dressed in plain clothes, but they were armed.  Three days into their journey the convoy was intercepted by Sudanese soldiers.  The Sudanese soldiers opened fire on the convoy, and a fierce battle ensued.  Omer and the man he was traveling with were able to escape.
 
Two days later he arrived in Gadaref, Sudan and went to see his fathers’ friend Mohammed Idris.  Omer’s father died when he was young but Mohammed had remained close to the family.  Mohammed was surprised to see Omer was still alive, he thought Omer had been killed.  Mohammed told Omer not to leave his house because he was in danger.  Many of the men that had been traveling with Omer at the time of his attack had been killed, five others were in prison accused of going to Ethiopia to convey information about the Sudanese military and collaborating with the Sudanese Opposition in Ethiopia.  Omer’s name was included with the names of other unaccounted tribesmen on a list that was distributed to all of the checkpoints.
 
Omer hid for two days while Mohammed made arrangements with a friend from the Beja tribe to take him to Khartoum.  Omer traveled as the assistant driver of a truck that transported cattle.  After he arrived in Khartoum he went to stay with a trader named Shingiti, a friend of Mohammed Idris.  Over the next ten days Shingiti used money Mohammed had given him to process a passport and visa for Omer to be able to travel to Egypt.  Omer then took a train from Khartoum to Wadi Halfa in Northern Sudan.  Shingiti had given Omer a letter and instructed him to give it to a police officer when he arrived.  The police officer then arranged for Omer to go to Aswan, Egypt.
 
Omer arrived in Egypt on May 15, 2003.  At first it seemed impossible to adjust to living in Cairo.  He only spoke Fulani, had never attended school and was unable to read in any language.  Omer grew up in a rural area with his mother, sister and five brothers, and had never visited a city the size of Cairo.  He was able to rent a room in a tall apartment building.  After about a month he met a Sudanese refugee with whom he was able to communicate, Soman Ada.  Soman had been in Egypt for 3 years and helped Omer make contact with agencies that would help with his financial and medical needs.  The first stop was to apply for refugee status at the U.N..  It took about six months to receive the necessary identification.  CARITAS helped provide the opportunity for medical care and some financial assistance.  Through the various agencies he could receive a supply of clothes and food each month.  He received about 200 LE per month which was equivalent to about $35 U.S. dollars, and his rent was 100 LE per month.
 
During his first six months in Egypt Omer started to learn Arabic.  Thankfully he was able to learn quickly.  No one at the U.N. spoke Fulani which made it even more difficult to communicate during the countless interviews and appointments.  Every six months he would need to re-apply for permission to stay in Egypt.  Omer starting visiting a number of doctors and it was determined that he needed to be sent abroad to receive adequate care.  Omer had no knowledge of other countries.  He had never even seen a television and knew very little of the world outside the area he had grown up in.  So the idea of being sent away to some far off land was somewhat intimidating but he knew this was his best chance for a healthy future.
 
At one of the U.N. appointments he met a lady from Australia, she was moved by Omer’s determination and perseverance and said she would do her best to get him the help he needed.  She said they would call him to come back in for yet another appointment.  A friend had a phone and agreed to pass along any messages.  Finally after 5 months he received the call.  He went to the U.N. and met an American woman for a three hour interview.  Omer brought all of his medical records to the interview.  The doctors had found that not only had his right leg been amputated but his left leg had been broken and untreated which had now caused a serious deformity of the femur and tendons in the leg.   It was also determined that although Omer suffered from Spina Bifida, which was adding to his pain, he could be helped with adequate care.  He was in constant pain, and was extremely anxious because he was unable to purchase the necessary medication and medical treatments he required and was having severe difficulties paying rent.  Omer had tried to use two prosthetic limbs in the past but due to pain was unable to use them and had to use two crutches to get around.  The American lady said that she would send a letter to IOM (International Organization for Migration) and start the process to have him sent to the United States. 
 
It usually takes six months to get an interview with IOM, but Omer was thrilled when he was called after only three months.  During the first interview he was told to come back every week and look on a big board posted outside for his number, and then he would be scheduled for an orientation.  Every week or two Omer would come and check the board for his number, but is was very difficult for him to get close enough or have the time needed to look through all of the numbers.  Each day 200 to 300 people would gather to look at the board, and Omer had to try to stand with the use of his crutches in the crowd and wait for his chance to view the board.  The IOM office was closed on Sundays, and he found that a much smaller crowd would gather.  On a Sunday many weeks later he made his way to the board and finally saw his number.  He went home filled with excitement but had to wait until the office opened to find out about the next step.  It turned out that he was now on the list for orientation but would need to start visiting a new board and look for his number to find out when the orientation would begin.  After two months he was finally able to begin orientation.
 
The orientation lasted for seven days.  There were teachers and assistants from a number of countries.  They explained what life would be like in America.  Each day Omer got to try traditional American food like hamburgers, which he really enjoyed.  He also attended an optional orientation which focused on family related issues.  Three months after completing orientation he received approval for his plane ticket to the United States.  IOM referred him to the local Red Cross, and after another interview was provided a passport.  During the next two weeks he was able to visit the friends he had made in Egypt and say goodbye.  Omer had not seen his mother, sister, or five brothers since he left Sudan in 2002.  He was able to contact Mohammed Idris in Gardaref, and send greetings and updates to his family.
 
A friend gave him a ride to the airport for his 2 a.m. flight to Germany.  Omer had never seen an airplane before and was not looking forward to the flying.  He flew from Cairo to Germany and after about an hour was put on another plane to Chicago.  The layover in Chicago was about three hours and during that time he was photographed for his new identification card.  Then he boarded another flight to Phoenix, Arizona and after roughly 30 hours of travel Omer arrived in his new home in September 2005. 
 
IRC (International Rescue Committee) assigned Omer a case worker named Lori when he arrived and found him a roommate and a place to live.  IRC also introduced Omer to a gentleman named Ben.  At the time Omer still only spoke Fulani and Arabic and Ben spoke English. Even though they did not have a language in common they found ways to communicate and were able to understand each other.  Ben helped arrange doctor appointments and brought him to Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County to start attending English classes.  Arrangements were made for Omer to receive the surgeries that he so desperately needed. 
 
Ben and his wife visited Omer everyday in the hospital and would bring him food.  During the weeks he stayed in the hospital they even arranged for some of their friends to visit him.  The hospital staff also took loving care of him.  When it was time for him to be released Ben realized that if Omer went home there wouldn’t be anyone to care for him so Ben and his wife moved Omer into their home to provide the needed care.  Omer felt like a member of the family and as he recuperated he even cooked some traditional meals.  He enjoyed sharing food with his friends and spending time with them.  Unfortunately, Ben and his wife had to move to Maine and Omer needed to move back to his apartment. 
 
When Omer first arrived at Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County in December 2005 he went through the Pre-Lit class and learned Basic English communication skills.  Omer never had the opportunity to attend school while he was growing up, and was unable to read or write in any language.  He is a hard working dedicated student, a minimum of 24 hours of attendance per month are required but on average Omer attends 65 to 80 hours per month.  In January 2007 he started meeting twice a week with a tutor named Al Peters.  Al is a volunteer at the LVMC Learn Lab in Central Phoenix, and has been a volunteer since November 2005.  Al retired from Motorola after many years or working as an accountant, and generously decided to become a volunteer literacy tutor.  During their meetings they use the Language Experience exercises and Omer has been able to share his inspiring story.  Al enjoys seeing the progress that Omer is making and the excitement he feels after finally being able to begin reading.
 
Omer has kept copies of his medical records, letters from CARITAS, IOM, US State Department, and the certificates of completion from his American orientation and family class because he wants to be able to read them all someday.  He plans to write his own stories, and looks forward to being able to share all of his experiences.  Omer says that school is his number one priority.  He wants to continue to go to school and plans to become an engineer.  He wants to be able to get a good job so he will be able to help someone the way he has been helped.  Omer loves his new country, he appreciates that we have free school with nice, helpful teachers and buses that make it easy to go to school.  A few months ago he was able to start calling to arrange his own doctor appointments. He also keeps in touch with Ben in Maine, and Mohammed Idris in Sudan.  Mohammed helps him stay in contact with his family.  Hopefully someday his family will be able to join him in Phoenix.  Omer has started attending classes at GateWay College. He is determined not to let anything get in his way, and we are confident that he will be able to accomplish anything he desires.