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Inga-Lill Bengtsson: Inga-Lill Bengtsson: ”I've been the target – of a lot of love”

A targeted area. Yes, I've been the target – of a lot of love, warmth and caring. Right from the first day when we opened the editorial office at Gamlegården. We were brought cakes and food, and given warm welcome.
Inga-Lill BengtssonSkicka e-post
Kristianstad • Publicerad 22 juni 2022
Inga-Lill Bengtsson
Detta är en personligt skriven text i Mosaik Kristianstadsbladet. Åsikter som uttrycks är skribentens egna.
Inga-Lill Bengtsson, redaktör Kb Mosaik.
Inga-Lill Bengtsson, redaktör Kb Mosaik.Foto: Lasse Ottosson

A couple came in with some amazing dishes. And they produced a spread of more than 20 dishes for an article about food during Ramadan.

One woman, also a good cook, turned out to be good at writing. She wrote a chronicle about her thoughts on living at Gamlegården, how young people needed support, about criminality – who give themselves the right to shoot where we live?

”All of these warm, good-hearted people”
Inga-Lill Bengtsson
Dynamic women at Gamlegården. Fadumo, in the middle, with Qaali Ali Shire, far right, who was a journalist at Kb Mosaik when the newspaper started in 2016. This year Qaali was elected to a seat in parliament in Somalia.
Dynamic women at Gamlegården. Fadumo, in the middle, with Qaali Ali Shire, far right, who was a journalist at Kb Mosaik when the newspaper started in 2016. This year Qaali was elected to a seat in parliament in Somalia.Foto: Inga-Lill Bengtsson
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How can people living at Gamlegården defend themselves? Finding somewhere else to live that does not cost too much is difficult. All of these warm, good-hearted people. I'll treasure many of you in my heart.

During the almost six years I've been at Gamlegården I've learnt to love the shopping centre, the people who come and go.

The children who come running in, eager to have a look at some photo in the newspaper office. Or take part in the After School activities in the library.

Abdullah Fallaha, here at an Eid festival, with Moira Uggla, who translates Kb Mosaik into English.
Abdullah Fallaha, here at an Eid festival, with Moira Uggla, who translates Kb Mosaik into English.Foto: Inga-Lill Bengtsson

The language café has had a boost, in the Family Service centre people on child-care leave struggle with Sfi, while they keep an eye on their children at the same time.

The youth centre, which has started having girls-only evenings. People who wave as they go past and say hello, the caretaker who keeps everything clean and tidy and keeps an eye on things.

”A young man gives me a big hug, I'm leaving Kb Mosaik”
Inga-Lill Bengtsson

In the open pre-school people, mostly women with young children on child-care leave, get together. Every day there are discussions as to what children may, or ought to, do, about parents' responsibility for keeping their children in check. A laugh over a cup of coffee.

Young people in the article on summer jobs a few years ago.
Young people in the article on summer jobs a few years ago.Foto: Inga-Lill Bengtsson

Jamila, the cleaner at the office, comes in with two pies, one for me and one for my best colleague Sofyan. ”You're so nice here”, she says.

A young man gives me a big hug, I'm leaving Kb Mosaik. He probably will not have pass-marks in all his subjects in his school-leaving certificate, but he has a good heart and is so ambitious. Getting a job isn't easy, my name, you know, he says. Easy to be rejected.

”Just as I wish it could be for all my friends at Gamlegården.”
Inga-Lill Bengtsson

Don't be afraid to speak to someone who is new in Sweden. I've learnt so much during the past six years, and my faith in people has grown stronger, we are so similar in so many ways.

We all want to be able to believe in the future, believe that our children will be successful, that they will grow up and have the best of opportunities.

Women from the Moslem congregation started a cleaning group along with children at Gamlegården.
Women from the Moslem congregation started a cleaning group along with children at Gamlegården.Foto: Inga-Lill Bengtsson
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In my garden my rhododendron is flowering with its pink-lilac blooms. It was another Bengtsson, her name was Anna, who built my house in 1959 and planted the bush, which is now enormous. When I was a child Anna used to sit behind her curtain and peep out at us children as we ran to the nearby playpark.

Anna was a plump little woman with thick glasses. She didn't see very well, but she had a big heart. In days to come I'll be the one sitting here looking out as the next generation of children runs past. Here in a quiet, peaceful area. Just as I wish it could be for all my friends at Gamlegården.

Thank you for making me a target at Gamlegården.

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