Mende Nazer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mende Nazer
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Nazer in 2006
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| Born | c. 1982 (aged c. 42) |
Mende Nazer (born around 1982) is an author and activist from Sudan who now lives in the UK. She is known for sharing her story and working for human rights. Mende was held against her will in Sudan and later in London for eight years. She later helped write a book in 2002 called Slave: My True Story, which tells her powerful journey.
Contents
Mende's Early Life and Abduction
Mende Nazer is a Nuba woman from a village in the Nuba mountains of southern Sudan. When she was about twelve or thirteen years old, her village was attacked. During this raid, she was separated from her family and captured. She was then sold into a form of forced labor.
For six years, Mende was forced to work for a family in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan. During this time, she had to do hard work and was treated poorly.
Escape and Seeking Safety
After six years, Mende was sent to London to work for a Sudanese diplomat. She lived in Willesden Green and was still forced to work. After three months in London, she managed to escape with help from another Sudanese person.
Mende then asked the British government for political asylum, which means asking for protection in another country. At first, her request was turned down. However, many people and human rights groups, like Anti-Slavery International, started supporting her.
By this time, her autobiography had already been published in Germany. Because her story became so well-known, the British government changed its mind in November 2002. They decided to grant her asylum, recognizing her as a refugee. This meant she could stay safely in the United Kingdom.
In 2005, the English version of her book was published. Later, in 2010, her life story was made into a film called I Am Slave. The same year, her story was also turned into a stage play called Slave — A Question of Freedom.
Disagreement with a Newspaper
In September 2000, a newspaper called the Sunday Telegraph printed a story about Mende's experiences. The diplomat she had worked for in London then sued the newspaper. In July 2002, the newspaper took back its story and agreed to pay money.
Mende and the co-author of her book later said this happened because the reporter did not meet or speak with Mende before writing the article. Mende felt she should have had the chance to correct any mistakes and confirm the true parts of her story.
See also
In Spanish: Mende Nazer para niños
- Francis Bok
- Slavery in Sudan
- List of slaves
