“Young people in Darfur have had their lives stolen away from them whilst the world has watched. Rebecca’s book takes us on their journey and lets us listen to their unbelievable stories, encouraging all of us to act to ensure that the people of Darfur can live in peace and dignity.”

—Sir Richard Branson

When the Stars Fall to Earth follows five young Darfuri refugees as they run from their villages to escape certain death from the Sudanese militia. Author and former BBC journalist Rebecca Tinsley takes readers on a roller coaster ride of gut-wrenching atrocities and uplifting victories, leaving everyone with a story of hope and promise for Africa’s future.

Zara, barefoot and numb with terror, crouches in a dry riverbed, having just escaped the annihilation of her village. A rocky outcrop towers overhead, providing her shelter from the men determined to exterminate her people. As a helicopter gunship hovers above, she spies her pink flip-flops on the open ground nearby. Staring at her sandals, she recalls the calm, steady voice of her grandfather—the village Sheikh who lies dead among the rubble that moments earlier was her home. She hears his calming voice reassuring her, telling her to use her intelligence and education to survive. I’m going to survive this, she tells herself. Darting out of the shelter, she grabs the shoes and resumes her flight toward an unknown destiny.

Ahmed sits in a stifling interrogation room, trying to forget the heat and pain of the bullet lodged in his hip. A natural athlete who’s as quick footed as Zara is intelligent, he organized the refugee camp soccer teams that provided a much-needed distraction for the dispirited young people. Maybe this wound of mine will stop me playing professional soccer, but I can live with that if it means getting out of here, he thinks. He recalls life back in his now-destroyed village, how the cool dawn air felt as he emerged from his hut for a morning run. With the first few steps he would hit his stride, leaving the village behind like a streak of lightning. He remembers how the cares and woes that plagued the entire village would lift from his shoulders with every step, his body, mind and eyes running forward into the future, into hope.

Hawa proudly embraced the customary traditions of a woman’s role in her Darfuri village. Now, disgraced and discarded, she searches for the will to live. She finds it with help from Mary, a Christian nurse; Ahmed, the eternal optimist and organizer; and even in a backhanded way from Rashid, who was once her betrothed. The physical pain returns when she pulls herself upright, but Hawa feels strangely triumphant. I survived. I made it, and I’m here and I survived. They’re not going to destroy me that easily. She goes far beyond finding her own will to live, taking on a leadership role, helping others learn and develop new ways of thinking and living.

Rebecca Tinsley guides readers through the politics of violence and genocide, the pain and terror of the African "Wild West," displaying hope that burns brightly like a beacon in the night, driving young Darfuris to fight for their country, fight for their freedom, fight for their lives.

“When The Stars Fall to Earth clearly reflects the reality of Darfur. A must read.”

—Martin Sheen

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