The Burdened

Isra’a lives with her husband, Ahmed, and their three children in the old port of the city of Aden, in southern Yemen. Their daily life is punctuated by the effects of the civil war : army checks in the street, frequent power cuts and water rationing. Ahmed, who used to work for television, has had to leave his job after several unpaid salaries, to become a driver. They hardly have enough money to provide a normal life and a good education for their children. When Isra’a finds out that she is pregnant again, the couple has to face a new crisis. They both know that they cannot afford a fourth child, especially as they have to move into cheaper housing and pay school fees. Together, they make the decision to get an abortion. A doctor-friend will perhaps help them...

“I was struck by the way in which human beings, in order to survive, can adapt their beliefs. Usually, the subject of abortion is dealt with from the woman’s point of view, but what I found interesting in this case was to shift the problem to the whole family.” Amr Gamal