Emmanuel Jal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emmanuel Jal
Background information
Birth name	Jal Jok
Born	(1980-01-01) 1 January 1980 (age 45) Tonj, Democratic Republic of Sudan (today Tonj, South Sudan)
Origin	Toronto, Ontario
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Political activist, singer, actor
Instruments	Vocals

Emmanuel Jal (left in yellow) performing in Bristol in 2006

Emmanuel Jal (born Jal Jok, January 1, 1980) is a talented artist, actor, author, and activist from South Sudan and Canada. He was once a child soldier. His autobiography, War Child: A Child Soldier's Story, tells the story of his incredible life.

Emmanuel Jal's Early Life

Emmanuel Jal was born into a Nuer family. This was in a village called Tonj, in what is now South Sudan. He doesn't know his exact birth date, so he uses January 1, 1980.

Jal was very young when the Second Sudanese Civil War began. His father joined the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). When Emmanuel was about seven years old, his mother was killed by soldiers. He then decided to join many other children traveling to Ethiopia. They hoped to find education and a better future there.

However, many children, including Jal, were recruited by the SPLA. They were taken to military training camps. These camps were disguised as schools for international aid groups. But secretly, the children were trained to fight.

Jal spent several years fighting with the SPLA in Ethiopia. When war broke out there too, the child soldiers had to return to Sudan. They joined the SPLA's fight against the government in Juba. Jal later said, "Many kids there were so bitter... we all wanted revenge."

When the fighting became too much, Jal and some other children ran away. They traveled for three months. Many children died during this difficult journey. Finally, they reached Waat, a town where a small group had separated from the main SPLA.

In Waat, Jal met Emma McCune. She was a British aid worker married to an SPLA leader. Emmanuel was only 11 years old. McCune insisted he should not be a soldier. She adopted him and helped him get to Kenya. There, Emmanuel attended school in Nairobi.

Sadly, McCune died in a car accident a few months later. Her friends helped Emmanuel continue his studies. After McCune's death, he lived in difficult conditions in the slums. Later, he stayed with other refugees while attending college.

Finding His Voice Through Music

After escaping to Kenya, Emmanuel Jal faced many challenges. He lived in the slums for years. But then, he discovered hip hop music. He realized it had great power, both spiritual and political.

While studying in Kenya, Jal began singing. It helped him deal with the pain of his past. He also became active in his community. He raised money for local street children and refugees. With encouragement from friends, Jal got more involved in music. He formed several groups. His first song, "All We Need Is Jesus," became popular in Kenya and was played in the UK.

Through his music, Jal promotes unity among people in Sudan. He wants to overcome ethnic and religious divisions. He also wants to inspire young people. He loved how hip hop talked about problems in neighborhoods. He felt he could share his own story through this music. He believed hip hop was the best way to express himself and push for political change.

He released his first album, Gua. It was a mix of rap in Arabic, English, Swahili, Dinka, and Nuer. The title "Gua" means "peace" in Nuer and "power" in Sudanese Arabic. This shows his message of unity. His songs express the Sudanese people's wish for a peaceful homeland. The song "Gua" was a number one hit in Kenya. It was also featured on a CD called Help: A Day in the Life, which raised money for children in war zones.

His song "War Child" tells his own story. He sings, "I'm a war child / I believe I've survived for a reason / To tell my story, to touch lives." He shares the pain he went through. The words are simple but powerful. They focus on his important story.

His second album, Ceasefire, came out in 2005. It included a new version of "Gua." This album was a special project with Abd El Gadir Salim. Salim is a well-known Sudanese Muslim musician. This collaboration brought together different sides of the conflict. It also blended different music styles. It showed a vision for peace in Sudan. A Christian and a Muslim musician worked together. This symbolized overcoming differences peacefully. The album preached in four languages. It aimed to turn hope into music. Ceasefire was not just two men making music. It was two parts of a divided nation learning to trust each other. The "Gua" song from this album was even played on the TV show ER.

Emmanuel Jal performed at the Live 8 Concert in 2005. He also won a 2005 American Gospel Music Award for best international artist.

His third album, Warchild, was released in 2008. Jal performed at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday concert in London. He was joined by stars like Amy Winehouse and Will Smith.

Some people said his music was becoming too mainstream. But Emmanuel said, "I'm not turning away from the world-music audience... There's still an African influence in my music. I don't try to sound American. I rap like an African, because that's what I am." He believes he survived to tell his story and show the world what is happening in his country.

Emmanuel Jal's album, See Me Mama, was released in 2012. His newest album, Naath, was a collaboration with his sister Nyaruach. It was nominated for a 2019 Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year.

Working for Peace and Change

Emmanuel Jal uses music to protect other children's lives. He says, "Music is powerful. It is the only thing that can speak into your mind, your heart and your soul without your permission." He believes art and politics should mix when there is a need. Music can uplift people during war or injustice. It can share important messages and create awareness. He mentions Bob Marley as an example. Through his songs, Jal shows the problems in Sudan. He strongly believes that children should not be involved in wars.

He has also spoken about hip hop culture in the United States. He sees hip hop as a way to share real messages. He doesn't think it should be about street fame. His song "50 Cent" asks the famous American rapper to change his violent messages. Jal believes these messages can harm children.

Emmanuel is a spokesperson for important campaigns. These include Make Poverty History, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and the Control Arms campaign.

A documentary about Emmanuel Jal, called War Child, was made in 2008. It won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival. His autobiography with the same name was released in 2009.

Even with his music success, Jal's biggest passion is Gua Africa. This is a charity he founded. It builds schools and gives scholarships to war survivors in refugee camps. It also helps educate children in poor areas of Nairobi. Gua Africa's main goal is to help people affected by war and poverty. It focuses on giving children and young adults an education they might not otherwise get. Gua Africa is now a registered charity in the UK, South Sudan, and Kenya.

Jal also started a "Lose to Win" challenge. He encourages others to give up something to help those in need. He himself gave up his home for a time. He lived as a nomad to raise awareness.

He completed a 661-day "Lose to Win" fast. He ate only one meal a day to build a school in Leer, Southern Sudan. This school, called Emma Academy, honors Emma McCune.

Emmanuel Jal's most recent project is a Global Peace campaign called We Want Peace 2012. It aims to show the world that peace is possible. It believes that music and activism can prevent genocide. A part of the profits from his album See Me Mama supports his charities.

In 2013, Emmanuel Jal was a speaker at a symposium in Birmingham, Alabama. He talked about the role of young activists in human rights struggles.

In 2014, he received the Dresden Peace Prize. In 2015, he launched a social enterprise called The Key is E. It works with entrepreneur Paul Lindley. The Key is E uses education and business skills to empower Africans. It helps them get funding and mentors. A documentary about 'The Key is E' was released in 2015.

Emmanuel Jal's Music Albums

Solo albums

• 2004 – Gua
• 2005 – Ceasefire
• 2008 – Warchild
• 2010 – Emmanuel Jal's 4th Studio Album
• 2012 – See Me Mama
• 2014 – The Key
• 2022 – Shangah

Collaborative albums

• 2018 – Naath, with Nyaruach (nominated for a 2019 Juno Award)

Contributing artist

• 2005 – Help!: A Day in the Life – War Child
• 2005 – The Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan – World Music Network
• 2006 – Live 8 at Eden: Africa Calling
• 2007 – Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur – Amnesty International USA and Art for Amnesty
• 2010 – Sudan Votes Music Hopes
• 2010 – Sudan Votes Music Hopes REMIXED "kuar" remixes by Henrik Schwarz and Olof Dreijer (The Knife)
• 2013 – The Rough Guide to Acoustic Africa – World Music Network

Emmanuel Jal's Film and Book

His Book

War Child: A Child Soldier's Story. St. Martin's Press, 2009; St. Martin's Griffin, 2010 (paperback). ISBN: 978-0-312-60297-0