Soul

by Osama Ahmed

“I used to see the mercy of angels in her eyes,” Mustafa begins, his voice soft with memory. Mustafa is the only human in his household that counts numerous cats that he has adopted from the streets. He has once worked as a driver, and at times as a trader, but now he finds himself back where it all began: Living in his late mother’s old house.

That house is more than walls and a roof. It’s an open book of the past, still holding the scenes of his childhood within its corners. Since his mother passed away twenty years ago, nothing inside has changed as if the house had conspired with time itself to preserve her memory, to keep it alive in every corner.
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Since childhood, Mustafa vividly remembers how his mother started her mornings by preparing animal food and how he would sit by the window as dozens of small cats and hungry dogs gathered below. His mother would throw the food to them and join young Mustafa by the window, watching them eat with a warm smile. This ritual repeated every day before his eyes until it became part of his life – a ritual he still carries with him.

Now, the house has become something of a shelter. The cats and dogs in the neighbourhood come by this safe haven where they find food, water, and a place to rest near its shaded doorstep. And each time Mustafa fills a bowl or lays down a scrap of food, he says he feels a little closer to his mother.
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Often, he sits quietly by the door, lost in thought. He remembers standing in the same spot as a boy, helping her feed the animals that came to their gate. In those silent moments, time seems to pause; it’s as if is a child, standing under his mother’s shadow.
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Now, decades later, he stands here again doing the very same thing with a warm smile on his face, and a heart full of quiet devotion.

An old photograph from half a century ago shows Mostafa with a small cat climbing onto his shoulder in Al-Shallalat Garden in Alexandria, where he used to visit regularly to feed the pets and play with them.

Mostafa dedicated a special refrigerator to store food for the animals.

Mostafa cooks special meals for the animals every day with love, as if they were his own family.

Despite feeling tired at times and finding it difficult to go outside, Mostafa is committed to feeding the animals daily, choosing to do so from his window.

Man wearing glasses with an orange tabby cat draped over his shoulder and head.

A woman who loves cats gifted Mostafa a collection of special photographs after being deeply moved by the care and attention he gives to the animals. She told him that these photos were the most precious things she owned and presented them to him as a token of her gratitude and appreciation for all he does for them.

Mostafa was keen on capturing his moments with the animals he fed in parks and public places, seeing photography as a way to preserve his memories with them. Driven by his great passion for photography, he would bring his personal photographer along on every visit, ensuring that each moment became an unforgettable image.

Dozens of cats gather daily in front of his house, awaiting his presence, which they have come to expect as part of their daily routine.

Bio

Osama Ashoush is a photographer and independent visual artist based in Alexandria. He began his photography journey in 2016. His work focuses on social issues and identity, exploring them through artistic practices and visual storytelling. In his projects, he strives to shed light on forgotten subjects that deserve to be told, blending a documentary sensibility with a human touch, as he not only captures the image but also seeks the story behind it.
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He has participated in several exhibitions and art workshops, including the “Folk Atlas” program and the “Raqouda” workshop. His works have also been exhibited at the American University in Cairo, and he participated in the Farouk Hosni Art Exhibition, among other art events in Egypt. He has received several awards, including first place in the Egyptian Press Competition and the Fuji Photography Award.