Dr Mebrahtu, born in the village of Adi Ghehad in the Eritrean Highlands, was a leading teacher trainer in his country but was forced to leave when his life was in danger in the 1970s.
The book first traces his early life in Eritrea, then part of Ethiopia, his efforts to get an education - the first in his family to do so - his involvement in student demonstrations against the government of Emperor Haile Selassie, resulting in imprisonment, and his rise to become Director of the Asmara Teacher Training Institute amidst the political unrest and bloodshed of the Eritrean liberation struggle.
When his life came under threat, he managed to leave the country to study for a PhD at Bristol. Ordered back by the Mengistu regime he instead claimed, and was granted, asylum in Britain. Declining State benefits he won a grant tram the Rowntree Trust to talk to local school pupils about Africa and the Africans bringing new understanding of those with a different culture.
After obtaining his PhD, he joined the staff of the Bristol Graduate School of Education where, for 24 years, he became a respected senior academic and adviser to international students - many of whom went on to have leading roles in the education system of their countries.
An acknowledged expert on refugee issues, the book outlines Dr Mebrahtu’s views on the vexed question of immigration and addresses the issues for both newcomers and the host community. It explores how people of different cultures can find understanding and common ground.
‘Stories of outstanding people, who overcome great adversity, encounter almost impossible odds in rising from humble beginnings in remote villages to become noteworthy citizens of the world, form part of the most uplifting areas of literature. Such individuals and their life experiences in following a powerful mission to improve humankind, provide exemplars of how to live a truly good life. This account of the life of Teame Mebrahtu is undoubtedly part of that pantheon of biographies.’ Professor Malcolm Johnson, University of Bristol
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