By Zainab Susi
Since my Ami (mother) Habiba Susi passed away, I have been wanting to do something in her memory but I couldn’t think of the right way to honor her. Eight years later, recently, we lost our aunt too, we called her Baby Chachi. Her real name was Malika. She supported Ami all her life and helped her to raise the five of us sisters. She was like a second mother to us. My Ami trusted her with her eyes closed and they always stuck together through thick and thin.
Here’s something about Baby Chachi. She was young when she lost her mother. Life was very hard for her at a young age. She went through a lot, couldn’t get an education, and got married at a young age. She was a fighter. She didn’t just fight for herself and for her family, she fought for Ami and all of us sisters. At the age of 39 suddenly, our Abu (father) had a heart attack and he passed away. Ami had no place to go with 5 girls under 10 years of age. Baby Chachi made sure that Ami was safe and had her own house to live with her 5 daughters for the rest of her life. She checked on us every single day for the rest of her life and provided whatever help Ami and us sisters needed. What a remarkable woman.
Both women understood each other’s pain and struggles and only wanted the best for each other and for everyone else. They were mature, wise, kind, beautiful, and so much more. When Chachi passed away I was told that she is buried in the same cemetery as Ami. Even after they both passed, it feels right that they are still together.
This past summer, I went to Barber Park’s opening and the memeroral tree idea came to me from there. This would be the way to honor two incredible women. In memory of both Amee and Chachi, on Friday, November 10th, 2023 two memorial trees were planted next to each other with plaques at Barber Park in Mahomet, IL. I can’t wait to see those trees grow and start providing to others. Room for birds to build nests, cool air for all creatures to breathe, protection from rain and snow, and shade for us to rest underneath. They’ll grow strong, supportive, and protective just like Ami and Chachi. They were always thinking of others and doing the right thing for everyone else. Hopefully, these trees will survive for a long time and my next generation can also see the memorial trees which represent two beautiful, kind, strong, fighter women.
No words to describe how much I miss both of them. We need more women like them.
Life is beautiful!
