Efath Islam
Bio
I'm a passionate storyteller who writes about real-life experiences, motivation, and the lessons we learn from struggles. I also enjoy writing short fiction and sharing useful tips and guides.
Stories (3)
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Beyond the Hunger
Rahul, a 13-year-old boy, lived in a small, forgotten village between mountains and fields. His family was poor, struggling to get by each day. His mother, a generous individual, did her best to run the household while his father worked in the fields. During monsoons, they lived in a tiny, run-down shack with cracked walls and a thatched roof that let rain in. They were a family that was bound by love despite their difficulties, but love alone could not feed them. Every morning, Rahul experienced a gnawing emptyness in his stomach. His day would not begin with a warm meal or breakfast. He would sometimes go days without eating, and other times, if there was any, he would only eat rice and vegetables. His parents did everything they could to break the cycle of poverty, but they never voiced their displeasure. His circumstances were distinct from those of the other village children. Rahul's world was consumed by the harsh reality of survival while they attended school, played with their friends, and dreamed of becoming doctors, engineers, or teachers. He had no intention of attending school. He couldn't afford the uniform, the books, or the time to go. Instead, he spent his days helping his mother with chores and trying to find odd jobs to earn a little money to contribute to the family.
By Efath Islam10 months ago in Humans
A life of strength and silence
In 1931, she was born in a thatched hut sheltered by a tall neem tree in a peaceful part of rural Bengal. Her name was Kamala. She did not cry loudly when she was born, and the midwife had to gently tap her back to wake her first breath into the world. This was her fourth daughter, and her husband had been hoping and praying for a son. Her mother, exhausted from childbirth, looked at her with empty eyes. His disappointment hung heavy and unspoken in the room like a damp cloth. Kamala grew up with little fanfare. She wore the hand-me-downs of her older sisters and learned to make herself invisible whenever men were around. Her father spoke rarely to her, but her mother was kind, and at night Kamala would lie beside her and listen to folk tales of queens who turned into birds, rivers that spoke, and women who defied kings. Kamala didn’t fully understand the world outside her village, but she sensed that there was something greater waiting beyond the narrow footpaths and muddy courtyards.
By Efath Islam10 months ago in Humans
The Harbour's Whispers
Standing at the edge of Circular Quay, old Benjamin leaned on his cane, his eyes tracing the contours of the Sydney Opera House as golden sunlight danced upon the harbor waters. Most people just saw Sydney as a bustling metropolis that represented modern Australia. However, Benjamin saw it as a living narrative that he had followed for nearly eighty years. Benjamin's English immigrant grandfather would tell him stories about the First Fleet's arrival in 1788 and how the British built the colony on the Eora Nation's land. He spoke with both pride and sadness—sadness for the displacement of Aboriginal people whose culture dated back more than 60,000 years and pride for creating a city from the wilderness. Benjamin had witnessed Sydney's evolution. In 1932, he witnessed the rise of the Harbour Bridge, which connected the north and south. He remembered when the opera house was just a dream, a sketch on a Danish architect's desk. Now, it stood as the soul of the city, a place where stories were still told—through music, through dance, and through voices that echoed both pain and celebration.
By Efath Islam10 months ago in History
