Slave summary

A Heartbreaking Reality

In Slave by Mende Nazer, we experience the harrowing journey of a young girl from Nuba Mountains in Sudan, who became a victim of the modern-day slave trade. Nazer's life started ordinarily enough, surrounded by a loving family and bountiful nature. But, tragically, at the age of twelve, her life took a shocking turn as her village was attacked by Arabic militiamen known as Mujahideen.

The raiders pillaged the village and abducted young Mende along with other children. Brought to the slave markets of Khartoum, Mende was bought by a wealthy Arab woman, who gave Mende to her brother's family as a gift. This marked the beginning of her life as a household slave, serving an affluent family in Sudan's capital.

A Life Robbed

During her seven years with the Arab family, Mende lived in dreadful conditions. She was forced to work endlessly, deprived of any humane treatment, education, or basic human rights. Treated like property rather than a person, she was barred from speaking her native language, Nuba, and was consistently subjected to physical and emotional abuse. The family called her 'Yebit', meaning slave, erasing her identity and reducing her to her social status.

Despite the harsh conditions, Mende clung fiercely to her identity and memories of her family, finding solace in the memory of her father's words – that no one could purchase another's soul. These memories preserved her self-worth and kept her hope alive through her darkest days.

A Fight for Freedom

In an unexpected turn of events, Mende was transferred to London in 2000 to serve the family's relative. This move, while alarming, provided her with a glimmer of hope, owing to England's strict anti-slavery laws. However, escaping was fraught with danger as she didn't speak English, knew no one in London, and lived under the constant threat of deportation.

Mende finally seized the opportunity to escape when the family left for a holiday. With the help of a kind neighbor, she found refuge in homes of several acquaintances before reaching the Zaghawa community, a group of immigrants from her region in Sudan, who supported her through her struggle for freedom.

A Voice for the Voiceless

Mende’s journey did not end with her escape. After a hard-fought legal battle against her captors and the threat of deportation, she was finally granted political asylum in 2002. This victory, however, was just the beginning of her new mission—to become a voice for the voiceless, shedding light on modern slavery.

Her memoir, Slave, serves as a horrifying testament to the ongoing slave trade happening beneath the veneer of modern society. Mende Nazer's resilience and courage offer a beacon of hope and a rallying cry against the dehumanizing practice of slavery in contemporary times.