Between 1991-2002 Sierra Leone endured a brutal civil war that became synonymous with amputations, blood diamonds, child soldiers, cannibalism, kidnappings, rape and sexual slavery. The question of how a peace-loving country descended into such a violent civil war in which multiple factions committed the most macabre war crimes and crimes against humanity is what its Truth and Reconciliation Commission set out to investigate at the end of the conflict and it is a question that underlies this narrative.
As a survivor of the devastating civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Joseph Kaifala recounts the harrowing details of an early life punctuated by unimaginable violence and his journey to survival that eventually led him to the United States. Told with humility and grace, Adamalui is the true story of one man's unshakable faith, thirst for knowledge, and indomitable will.
Kaifala's experiences as a child prisoner and refugee are told through a series of flashbacks as he endeavors to attain a visa to attend college in America. His memories of the death and destruction that he and his family witnessed while attempting to avoid the violence rampant in impoverished West Africa are written with amazing clarity by a man on a mission to chart a way forward for himself and the others who would follow in his steps.
"In the spirit of Desmond Tutu, to whom Joseph Kaifala dedicates this book, “Tutu's Rainbow World” teaches us about Africa—its people, losses, and struggle for human rights. Read it for its imagery as well as its message. A synesthetic writer, Kaifala blends colors and native sounds with pictures of struggle, love, death, hope, and faith, which all form an integral part of his moving poetic rainbow."
-Catherine Golden, professor of English at Skidmore College and the Tisch Chair in Arts and Letters
“It is no easy feat to write a country’s history in one book, especially when the nation involved has been through as much hope and as much suffering as Sierra Leone. But Joseph Kaifala has managed the job knowledgeably and skillfully, by focusing on key periods of his country’s evolution. This is a first-rate guide to understanding the deep historical underpinnings of the challenges facing Sierra Leone today.”
-Adam Hochschild, Author of King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
Alston and Goodman, International Human Rights, (Oxford 2012)
Quoted in International Human Rights By Philip Alston, Ryan Goodman, 2012. The coursebook presents a diverse range of carefully edited primary and secondary materials alongside extensive text, editorial commentary, study questions, complemented by an online annex of documents that help guide the reader toward any additional documents essential to the study and understanding of human rights law.
(http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199279425/resources/documents/)
Authored by Joseph Kaifala, Illustrated by Justin Aerni, Edited by Shane R Collins
This is book one in the "Bra Rabbit and Bra Spider Series" written by Joseph Kaifala. Each book in the series features a different traditional Sierra Leonean children's folktale. This book tells the story of Bra Rabbit during a famine as he discovers a Magic Whip that gives out food - for a price. The series is backed by the Jeneba Project - a non-profit organization committed to contributing to the reconstruction of the Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea through targeted educational projects. Please visit www.jenebaproject.org to learn about other ways you can help.
These books can be read to children of all ages. The recommended reading age is 8-13
Authored by Joseph Kaifala, Illustrated by Kyoht Luterman, Illustrated by Corinna Walch, Edited by Shane R Collins
This is book one in the "Bra Rabbit and Bra Spider Series" written by Joseph Kaifala. Each book in the series features a different traditional Sierra Leonean children's folktale. This book tells the story of Bra Rabbit during a famine as he discovers a Magic Whip that gives out food - for a price. The series is backed by the Jeneba Project - a non-profit organization committed to contributing to the reconstruction of the Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea through targeted educational projects. Please visit www.jenebaproject.org to learn about other ways you can help.
These books can be read to children of all ages. The recommended reading age is 8-13