‘I have learned along my journey that you don’t need to have the complete solution in place in order to fix a problem. You simply have to start somewhere, and keep moving.’
In 1994, 16-year-old Emmanuel Taban walked out of war-torn Sudan with nothing and nowhere to go after he had been tortured at the hands of government forces. When he finally managed to escape, he ended up in neighbouring Eritrea as a refugee.
Over the months that followed, young Emmanuel went on a harrowing journey, often spending weeks on the streets and facing many dangers. Relying on the generosity of strangers, he made the long journey south to South Africa, via Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, travelling mostly by bus and on foot.
When he reached Johannesburg, 18 months after fleeing Sudan, he was determined to resume his education. Emmanuel completed his schooling with the help of Catholic missionaries and entered medical school, qualifying as a doctor and eventually specialising in pulmonology. By never giving up, he has risen above extreme poverty, racism and xenophobia to become a South African and African legend.
In this updated edition, he sheds light on the tough decisions he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of ivermectin on some of his patients. He also expands on his philosophy of taking responsibility for one’s decisions and actions in order to grow.
