Book Description Review “This incredible story offers three important insights: how it is possible for someone to be trafficked, why it might not be immediately apparent someone is in slavery, and, most important, why the antislavery movement needs strong survivor advocates like Tupa Tjipombo.” —Joanna Ewart-James, executive director, Freedom United“A riveting story of a young girl’s courage in the face of unimaginable terror, her determination to fight for her dignity—and above all, her courage to speak out and break the silence about the human trafficking nightmare we have ignored for too long.” —JULIAN SHER, author of Somebody’s Daughter: The Hidden Story of America’s Prostituted Children and the Battle to Save Them“[A] vivid, soulful account with personal details, yet hers cannot be called a singular story.”— Booklist“For readers who wish to understand more fully the grim reality of human trafficking.”— Library Journal Online“Her unflinching determination to survive drives the book and drags her readers kicking and screaming and clutching for respite…reading I Am Not Your Slave will move even the most stoic.” — BookTrib Read more About the Author Tupa Tjipombo is the pseudonym of a Namibian woman who is currently pursuing a college degree in her homeland while volunteering at a shelter for orphaned and vulnerable children.Chris Lockhart is a widely published academic author. He currently lives and works in Namibia as a global health consultant for international development agencies. Read more Customers Review: Amazing and insightful story. Both tragic and inspiring. Incredibly well written. One of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I could not put this down once I picked it up. I am not one to write online reviews, but I hope by doing so, I will encourage others to buy this book. A must read.
Wow. Just unbelievable!I have goosebumps.Watching the chain of events in Tupa’s story just makes me shake my head. It makes me furious. This all began because of the World Wildlife Conservancy in Namibia. Sure, we want to protect the wildlife and save the endangered species, but it is because of them a farmer could not bring his herd to a watering hole during a major drought. They turned him away. The cattle could not drink or eat, so the farmer’s brother (greedy little bastard) hooks him up with some stranger to sell his cattle in Angola.Because the farmer doesn’t know the way of the world, the buyer has 4 cows stolen. When Tupa’s brothers go looking for the cattle, they go missing. The buyer demands that the matter of the 4 missing cows be rectified by giving him the farmer’s daughter. The farmer has no choice but to give him his daughter to work off the debt of the 4 missing cows.Now, any person would have seen this as…but what does it matter that 4 cows are missing? The buyer hasn’t even paid for any of the cows yet. The farmer was swindled out of his daughter. The cows don’t mean anything to the buyer.This begins Tupa’s horrible journey into human trafficking…all because the World Wildlife Conservancy needs to take over the watering hole so that tourists can see the animals. LET THAT SINK IN.Her ultimate destination is Dubai. This rich buyer collects women. He decided one day he wanted a himba woman. Through this vast network of the slave trade, he was able to secure a himba woman from Namibia.In Dubai, most of the time, she worked as a domestic for the family. But she was really there to be a sex slave for the many exclusive parties the Jackal threw for humanitarians and people from the United Nation’s humanitarian mission. She was repeatedly raped and tortured during her enslavement.The fact that the men committing these atrocities are humanitarians, people who work for the United Nations and the World Food Program…I mean…WTF!!!!!!I really hope that the media and news agencies get a hold of this book and start investigating this. When I Googled the World Food Program, I found out that these men that are high up in the UN and World Food Program have sexual abuse and harassment complaints against them from numerous members of staff all around the world. They weren’t just doing this to the trafficked girls. They were doing this to female staff members. Numerous acts of rape.Tupa went through so much, my heart just broke for her. I kept wondering if she would ever find that light out of that dark tunnel. Considering there’s a book, I kept telling myself, I guess she did.This is something I want to leave in this review that echoes why women need to step up and stop this.”If we are to survive…then the women must participate like never before. We must unite and let our voices be heard…whatever we do, we must do it from the innermost circle out. Then we do it our way, from our strengths, and in a way that preserves our traditions. Otherwise, bad things happen.”The closest circles around her-those of family and village and tribe-they were smashed and broken because our women have not participated in those larger circles. We have been silent. This must change, but it must do some from here, from the innermost circle out.”
I read this book in a single sitting. It is hard to believe in this day and age that a “business” like human trafficking exists and is so gruesome. It is important these stories are told and hopefully through telling these stories something can be done to combat this horrific practice.
Tupa Tjipombo’s grim and savage experience is an important reminder that women’s subjugation and suffering is still a fact of life in the world. Through Chris Lockhart’s excellent writing, the reader hears Tupa’s voice clearly and is inspired by her courage and spirit.
Truly unbelievable, horrific and riveting. Told so well that we can’t put the book down. A perfect selection for Oprah’s Book Club. |
5 reviews