From Captive to Liberator: The Inspiring Journey of a Sudanese Slave

Ten-year-old Simon Deng carefully descended the steep stairs between the alleys of Kosti in northern Sudan, balancing a pot full of rice on his head. He moved cautiously, knowing that if he tripped, or if a stray dog jumped on him causing the pot to fall and break, he would be beaten severely. Suddenly, he noticed someone a few meters away with markings painted on his face — symbols reminiscent of his childhood. Memories flooded back. Simon hailed from Sudan's Shilluk tribe, a descendant of the once-glorious King Okolo, several centuries past. But in recent years, Muslim raiders overpowered his tribe and captured ten children, selling them to slave traders. Their fate was one of constant resale in the slave market, ultimately being sold to yet another trader without their knowledge. They were herded onto a ferry, as if preparing for a journey, only to be deserted by the trader in the last moment, leaving them with a new and brutal master.

Eventually, Simon found himself serving a Muslim family in Kosti. Slavery, it seems, has not vanished from the world — certainly not in Sudan. He had no rights. The master's children could beat him at will, treating him worse than an animal (in humane places, even animals aren't beaten like that, of course). Simon served without any compensation, destined to remain their property eternally, simply because the head of the family once paid for him!

A fellow member of the Shilluk tribe advised Simon to meet him at the market square’s edge the following afternoon. With trembling excitement, Simon ventured out, clutching his goods, and headed to the rendezvous point. There, to his astonishment, he encountered a group of Shilluk tribespeople. Among them was his uncle, vaguely familiar to him. His uncle conveyed that Simon's father had never given up hope, offering ten cows as a reward for his return. Simon reunited with his father and what was left of his family, but his path did not end there. He became a champion for other slaves, pursuing slave traders and purchasing miserable children destined for lifelong servitude for pittances. Later, he raised funds and established an organization to redeem children and women sold into slavery. This organization, CSI, operates across Africa and has rescued thousands from a cruel fate.

Upon hearing about the events of October 7 in Israel, Simon recalled the day Muslim gangs invaded his peaceful village with similar scenes of murder, torture, desecration of bodies, and kidnapping of people — young and old. He boarded a plane to Israel and began volunteering to aid the victims of the horrific massacre. In collaboration with Jewish allies, he co-founded the African Jewish Alliance (AJA), which fights against all forms of violence, seeking to free kidnapped individuals and support victims of violent terrorist attacks. Together with Jewish friends, he marches, speaks at events, and shares his childhood experiences, striving to contribute to a better world.