Recognize yourself in he and she who are not like you and me.

(Carlos Fuentes)

Empathy: The ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings
and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions.

This quote, according to me, talks about empathy towards those who are not like us. In this case,
the focus would be on refugees. They come from foreign lands hoping to seek shelter to save
themselves from the unfortunate events taking place in their countries. This quote emphasizes on
the fact that these people might not be like us. They may be completely different from us and if
we can still manage to empathize with them, respect them and help them better their condition, it
would not only make us better human beings, but also make this world a better place to live in.
Carlos Fuentes says we must recognize ourselves in those who are not like us, because if we
cannot understand them, if we cannot relate to them in any aspect, we will not be able to put
ourselves in their shoes and genuinely help them.

Many such refugees are denied entry into the country, thus denied shelters. They are left with
nowhere to go, left to die of hunger and thirst. This is where being humane and empathetic
comes into the picture. Quite a few refugees are kept in miserable conditions, beaten up and
tortured, despite there being a law which promises refugees security and a safe shelter. Such
violations of human rights are not reported most of the times, causing the refugees to live in
constant fear of being attacked and killed. If they travelled from their country to ours to escape
from the exact same things, how are we any different from the people who have attacked their
country? Its not that these refugees want everything without doing any work. All they need is a
chance. They need to be given a platform to show that they can fend for themselves. They simply
need a shelter, and some security to set up a lifestyle in a new country, right from scratch.

Mohammad Sharifi, 27, is a refugee who was forced to leave his home in war-torn Somalia.
Sharifis family sent him to India because they were worried he would lose his life like his elder
brother did, in the Civil War. He did not know the local Indian languages, the customs, or how
things functioned. He struggled to make a living with the small amount of money given to him
by his mother. He then received the news of his family members deaths, and was shattered.
Sharifi survived against all odds and flourished. After struggling for years, he owns a thriving
restaurant today. Early in 2014, the Refugee Community Development Program funded a
livelihood project for him to start a restaurant in Wazirabad, New Delhi. The restaurant
specializes in Somali cuisine and is considered a favourite in the locality. Due to this restaurant,
Sharifi can interact with people and learn about Indias culture and traditions, making him feel
safe in the country. He has learnt Hindi and English by communicating with the locales.

If we could just keep aside differences between two or more nations and help a fellow human
being, faith in humanity will be restored in the hearts of many. The world doesnt always have to
be cruel; there is enough congeniality in this world, too. Such cases prove that with a little help,
these people are willing to rebuild their lifestyle and work hard. All we need to do is believe in
them. They may not be exactly like you, but they are human. They deserve a chance at life. This
quote and its interpretation resonated within me for a very long time.

-Yashvi
Prakash