Moving story of war told to young

01 December 2009

STUDENTS and staff at Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) heard a victim of war recount her experiences of growing up in Sierra Leone.

Mariatu Kamara, 23, lived as a child in a small village. She was surrounded by family and friends until one day when she was attacked and tortured by armed rebel soldiers.

Mariatu, who has written a book about her experiences called Bite of the Mango, told students how the soldiers cut off her hands in the attack when she was 12.

She visited the college with award-winning journalist and friend, Susan McClelland.

They met when Mariatu arrived in Canada where she is now a college student.

Together they wrote Bite of the Mango which has been extremely well-received across the world.