Adamalui

By: Joseph Kaifala

Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

As a survivor of the devastating civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Joseph Kaifala recounts the harrowing details af 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.

Kaifala's hopes for a brighter future for his home country - a country to which he still returns to assist through charitable causes - are crystalized throughout this prescient, timely, and beautifully-written memoir.

©2018 Joseph Kaifala (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Resilience and resolve in spite of the harshest obstacles

This text is rich with conviction, drive, resilience, and overcoming unimaginable obstacles of life. As an American living in Sierra Leone, this story really helps to paint context of what people have survived here. Joseph had a limited opportunity to experience a traditional childhood before being swept into war. People often talk about the war lasting more than a decade but through this story it opens one’s eyes to glimpses of horrific violence, periods of calm, and then returns of violence. The people of Sierra Leone had to live through this period of not knowing if and when Peace would ever come. The fluctuant nature of the war seemed to add another layer of trauma. One common thread throughout the book that I appreciate most is how Joseph’s hunger for learning and education kept him grounded and persevering against all odds. The challenges he faced, many average humans would have given up 10 times over but he continued to pursue his education and to be the top of his class. I was so grateful to see that his education and work ethic propelled him to opportunities in Norway, the US and back at home in Salone where he guides the country in preserving its history and helping others share their stories. Thank you Joseph for crafting this powerful story and sharing it with the world. I hope that you also received some comfort in releasing it through pen and paper.