Yemeni boy builds models to recreate Sanna before war

Using paper boards and hot glue, Musheer Basheer Al-Hzmi, a 16-year-old Yemeni boy, builds models of famous buildings in the capital of Sanaa and recreates elaborately the city he lives in and loves, reported Xinhua.

Hospitals, banks, highways ... The boisterous streets are packed with cars and pedestrians, full of vigor and life. The vivid presentation of Musheer reminded many of what the country's biggest city used to look like.

"I imagine a Sanaa without bombings or war. That's what I want to build," said Musheer.

The teenager found the hobby of making miniature buildings when he was 10, just around the time when the civil war first started.

"I started building house models when I was in the third grade. I used to use papers of my notebooks and make models of old-style buildings," said Musheer.

Musheer said he didn't fully understand the significance of the war at that time. All he worried about was how he could find the material he needed to build the miniature models.

However, as the war stretched longer and longer, the life for Musheer and his family became harder and harder, and the boy started to recognize the brunt of the war.

Although Musheer's father Basheer Al-Hzmi has been lucky enough to keep his job as a cook in a restaurant, the soaring prices of commodities, as well as constant bombings, are forcing the family to struggle.

While many children in the country dropped out of school, went to heavy labor, or even joined warring factions, Musheer's family wanted to protect the boy from all that.

"My father keeps encouraging me to pursue my hobby. And under his advice, I began to make bigger models like this," said Musheer while pointing to a room of miniature buildings.

Musheer lives with his parents and seven siblings in a rental house. But the family still manages to make a spare room for Musheer to create his little world.

"I try to provide Musheer with what he needs. I give him half of my monthly salary so he can find something meaningful to do inside the house and stay safe. I don't like him wandering in the streets. It's dangerous out there," said Musheer's father.

"I hope he can become someone who can serve the country in the future," the father added. "Our country will need some creative and constructive minds to rebuild it when peace returns."

"My message to other children is that we should try to learn and create no matter how harsh the circumstances we are in. The younger generation can help our country," said Musheer.