I Am a Girl from Africa

A memoir of empowerment, community and hope

A powerful memoir about a girl from Africa whose near-death experience sparked a dream that changed the world.

She squeezes my hand and smiles. “I am here to feed hungry children in the village, because as Africans we must uplift each other.”

I don’t understand what it means to uplift others, but I nod.

I know that I can finally stand up. I will search for food. I will live.

When severe draught hit her village in Zimbabwe, Elizabeth, then eight, had no idea that this moment of utter devastation would come to define her life purpose. Unable to move from hunger, she encountered a United Nations aid worker who gave her a bowl of warm porridge and saved her life. This transformative moment inspired Elizabeth to become a humanitarian, and she vowed to dedicate her life to giving back to her community, her continent and the world.

Grounded by the African concept of Ubuntu — 'I am because we are' — I Am a Girl from Africa charts Elizabeth’s quest in pursuit of her dream from the small village of Goromonzi to Harare, London and beyond, where she eventually became a Senior Advisor at the United Nations and launched HeForShe, one of the world’s largest global solidarity movements for gender equality. For over two decades, Elizabeth has been instrumental in creating change in communities all around the world; uplifting the lives of others, just as her life was once uplifted.

The memoir brings to vivid life one extraordinary woman’s story of persevering through incredible odds and finding her true calling — while delivering an important message of hope and empowerment in a time when we need it most.

'From the first page to the last, I could not put down this book. I am a Girl from Africa is a story that can uplift and inspire every girl and boy from every part of the world. Beautifully told, and beautifully lived.' — Angela Duckworth, author of Grit