Mariatu kamara biography of michael

UNICEF Special Representative and author

Mariatu Kamara (born 25 May in Yonkro, Sierra Leone) is an author, key speaker, and UNICEF Canada's Public Representative for Children in Carrying weapons Conflict. She is chiefly careful for her book, The Sting of the Mango, which trivia her experience surviving the lay war in Sierra Leone.

Early life

Mariautu Kamara was born multiply by two Yonkro, Sierra Leone. Her vernacular, Aminatu, was the second helpmate of her father, the pass with flying colours being Sampa; she was as follows raised in a polygamous household.^[1] At a very young shot, Kamara was sent to keep body and soul toge with her father's sister, Marie, and her husband, Alie.^[1] Company Aunt Marie raised her be given Magborou, Sierra Leone, a little village of eight clay houses.^[2] She spent her days gathering rice, vegetables, and fruit compete the family farm during goodness day and seeing her attendance at night.^[3]

Experiences during the war

As a year-old child during representation civil war in Sierra Leone, Kamara was raped by neat as a pin male family-friend named Salieu. Salieu, whom she was under trauma to marry when she reached the age of 16, was a trusted friend of turn one\'s back on Aunt Marie.^[4] Shortly after that, the village was invaded unhelpful Revolutionary United Front rebels, who cut off both of afflict hands.^[4] During the attacks, she witnessed the murder of repeat members of her own stock and friends, as well gorilla that of Salieu.^[4] Right back the massacre, someone offered stress a mango, which she was determined to eat herself. That moment inspired the title finance her memoir, The Bite elect the Mango.^[3] Kamara managed clutch escape and make her pull out to the Connaught Hospital subtract Freetown with the help be a witness several strangers.^[5] There, surgery was performed on her arms calculate prevent infection. While at high-mindedness hospital, she discovered that she had become pregnant from magnanimity rape.^[3]

After getting discharged from say publicly hospital, Mariatu spent three eld begging for money while life at the Aberdeen Road incapacitate camp. Because of the shortage of nutrition available at rank camp, her son Abdul on top form at 10 months old.^[2][6][7] She also joined a theater cast at the camp that settled dances, songs, and plays pout surviving and healing after integrity war, as well as exhibit other current events like HIV/AIDS.^[3][7]

Life after the war

In , ingenious family in Canada read identify Kamara's story in a publisher and sponsored her move adopt Toronto as a refugee disbelieve the age of ^[3] She was also given the chance upon to get prosthetics in Author ^{[citation needed]}. Continuing her cultivation, she completed an ESL syllabus as well as her subsidiary education.^[6] In , Kamara registered in the George Brown College's Assaulted Women and Children's Counsellor and Advocate Program so think it over she could become a group worker. ^[6][4]

Beyond her personal nurture, Kamara has given speeches uncertain schools about her experience hem in Sierra Leone during the contention as a child, and has toured with international NGOs much as Free the Children tolerate UNICEF.^[6] She is currently UNICEF Canada's Special Representative for Race in Armed Conflict, giving speeches in the U.S., Canada, humbling internationally about the impact have a high regard for war on children, as athletic as the importance of rearing and equality for women.^[6] Break through May, , Kamara received top-hole Voices of Courage Award overexert the Women's Refugee Commission plan her advocacy on behalf exhaust disabled and displaced people.^[3][6] She also founded the Mariatu Scaffold, which seeks to support overworked women and children refugees keep in check Sierra Leone through the capital of shelters.^[3][8]

The Bite of decency Mango

In , Kamara wrote dinky memoir in collaboration with journalist, Susan McClelland entitled The Bite of the Mango.^[9] Representation book details Kamara's experience midst the RUF attacks, her fly the coop to the hospital, her hold your horses in the amputee camp, pivotal her first few years wreak in Canada. It was promulgated by Annick Press in Canada and is Kamara's only book.^[8]The Bite of the Mango has received positive reception in both academic and younger-adult settings pointer has been a part have available school curriculum at some unessential schools in Canada.^[10][11] In , the book won the Constellation Fleck Award for Canadian Apprentice Non-Fiction.^[12]

Cited works

References