Ishmael Beah was born in Sierra Leone in 1980.
When he was 13, he was forced to become a child soldier during the civil war
between the Sierra Leonean government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
For the next four years, Beah witnessed numerous atrocities and was forced to
kill and torture people in the name of war.
He was rescued from the government army by The
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and given a chance at a new life with
his uncle. Beah was later chosen as one of two children to represent Sierra
Leone at the United Nations First International Children's Parliament. His
heartfelt account of the violence he faced and his testimony of the existence
of thousands of children like him moved the UN. Laura Simms, a member of the
UN, eventually adopted Beah as her son. In 1998, Beah moved to New York City
with Simms. Beah is a graduate of the United Nations International School and
Oberlin College.
Beah is a member of the Human Rights Watch
Children's Rights Division Advisory Committee and has spoken to various
governmental bodies about the plight of children affected by war. He is also
the head of the Ishmael Beah Foundation, dedicated to helping former child
soldiers find new lives by reintegrating into society. He currently lives in
Brooklyn, New York.
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