War Child
From his start in life as a child soldier in the war-torn region of Southern Sudan in the early 1980s, Emmanuel Jal has come through a huge number of struggles during his life to become a successful and acclaimed recording artist and peace ambassador. Drawing on his personal experiences and background, he speaks and performs with a strong message of reconciliation and peace, and has addressed the UN, US Congress, the Carter Centre and the very highest level of many governments.
EMMANUEL YOU WERE BORN IN SOUTH SUDAN, WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE?
My childhood was challenging because it felt like I was born in hell, because at that time the country was at war with itself and that war robbed me of my childhood. All my aunties and my mother was also taken in that war. At the age of seven, my father sent me to Pinyudo Refugee Camp in Ethiopia and that was where I was recruited be a child soldier.
HOW DID YOU GET FROM SOUTH SUDAN TO HOLLYWOOD?
From South Sudan to Hollywood is a very long journey, I was rescued by a British aid worker Emma McCune who smuggled me to Kenya. When I got to Kenya life became difficult too. Emma died and it was challenging and that’s when I took on music, and music gave me global attention and I was able to leave Africa. In Canada I was scouted out by those who look for actors and so I auditioned for a couple of films and then I got a role in Hollywood The Good Lie with Reese Witherspoon and Ger Duany and other South Sudanese men.
Photo credit: Danny Kasirye
WHEN DID YOU RETURN TO SOUTH SUDAN, HOW DID IT FEEL FOR YOU AND HOW IS TO TODAY?
Returning to South Sudan there was a connection and mixed emotions; it wasn’t the same place I left. I returned when we were shooting my documentary War Child, its mixed emotions because everybody is gone, the war has stolen the soul of the entire nation 98% lost somebody. But what I love is the energy of the people despite what they went through, the smile and the hope, still believing that tomorrow is going to come and turn out well is what fascinated me…how people get on with their lives and also when I think about where I am now there is so much to be grateful for and so much that I can do.
WHY IS MUSIC SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Everything vibrates, everything makes sound, when sound is organised in harmony it can become beautiful, sound is heaven I can look at it that sound is god. The vibration that words give, even words are sound. Each and every word has got a vibration that can influence us in a different way, so music is the only thing that can speak to you mind, your body your soul your cell system and influence you without you even knowing. So its soothing, it’s a universal language. I can dance to Chinese, French music I don’t need to know the words my body can understand what the sound is telling me what its telling me to feel and that’s what I love about music it’s a language that everybody understands, even babies in the womb. I use music as a vehicle to pass my message around the world.
YOU HAVE MET MANY LEADERS IN YOUR ROLE AS PEACE AMBASSADOR, WHO ARE YOUR HEROS AND WHY?
I have met many people that everybody looks up to, like Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama even Presidents of the USA. What I like about them is that I don’t know any great leader that hasn’t experienced pain and suffering….and they all find meaning in their suffering in order to move on and live their life with purpose and vision.
“When I think about where I am now there is so much to be grateful for and so much that I can do.”
YOU’VE BEEN SHARING YOUR STORY WTH SCHOOLS, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY WITH CHILDREN?
One of my visions is to share my story for spiritual and emotional learning and going to schools has been about sharing my story, because stories have the power to transform our lives. Our lives are shaped by the stories we hear and our success depends on the stories we are told. When I go to schools and trust these young people with my story it’s going to generate beliefs and emotions that can ignite thoughts, so that can one day when they become leaders in the future so they can make better decisions, to take our world forward in a better way.
HOW DO YOU SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE?
There are different ways I support people directly and I am passionate about education. In 2009 I founded Gua Africa the mission is to ‘educate a child, develop a nation’. We supports individuals and families affected by war and poverty from South Sudan. We have trained and educated South Sudanese refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp to become professionals in medicine, law and education. So far we have helped provide creative spaces for art and sports, refurbished two local schools and we are in the process of building a community library.
HOW CAN ANYONE SUPORT GUA AFRICA?
99% of donations for Gua Africa goes directly to support the work. We have recently built a community hub at Kakuma Refugee Camp in North-West, Kenya. Over half the population there are from my country South Sudan and we have the largest African refugee crisis. The camp has been there since I was a child and was established in 1991 but the living conditions haven’t improved. During lockdown I spoke to the community and also my brother who lives there to see how we can continue our support despite not being able to visit the camp and continue with our educational programming. They came up with the idea of building a hub where we can offer online classes and also a space for young orphans who are finishing their primary school.
We now offer:
· Crucial extra primary school classes for Years 5 & 6 before entry to Secondary School.
· A living library space for the whole community, which encourages reading from a young age.
· IT facilities with fast internet access for research and online learning.
· Social spaces for creative and physical wellbeing, including art, yoga and dance.
We are looking for individuals to help us to support us to build the library. But also for individuals to lend skills, advise or give funding.
If you’re interested to learn more and support please visit: www.gua-africa.org/gatwitch-hub/