At 7 years old, Emmanuel Jal was left to fend for himself in a small town in southern Sudan when his mother was murdered. Less than a year later, he was strapped with an AK-47 and forced onto the battlefields of a bloody civil war in Sudan, until escaping to Kenya as a refugee.

Jal is a world renowned musician and human rights activist. His albums Gua, Warchild and Ceasefire have gained recognition for their unique blend of American hip-hop and African sounds, and hard-hitting lyrics describing scenes from his childhood. Jal's skills have even won him collaborations with stars like Alicia Keys.

Jal works with various refugee and genocide prevention organizations--most recently Refugees International--to educate the global community on his cause. Refugees International has advocated for displaced peoples worldwide since 1979.


Read the full article