In the heart of a village untouched by the world’s chaos, five-year-old Popina took solace in the simple joys of childhood – climbing mango trees, chasing baby baboons, and exploring the fields. But her innocence was shattered in an instant when a group of strangers invaded the village, bringing with them a terror that a young girl could never have imagined.

The Smallest Ones is a harrowing and powerful account of survival and resilience in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in the early 2000s. Popina, her family and friends were captured by rebel soldiers and were subjected to torture and rape. After several years of captivity, Popina and her older sister managed to escape, and began an epic journey all the way to South Africa. But even there, their nightmare was not over.

Written with raw emotion and unflinching honesty,  The Smallest Ones  takes readers on a journey through the darkest corners of human experience, yet it is also a testament to the enduring power of hope and the will to survive. This is not just a story of tragedy, but a poignant exploration of the human spirit’s capacity to endure and overcome.

After eventually finding refuge in a children’s home in Despatch in the Eastern Cape, Popina started building the life she dreamt of as a child. Having had no schooling, she now found herself in a classroom and held a pen for the first time. And so began her journey to education and freedom.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Popina Khumanda  was born in 1995 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When she was five years old, her village was attacked and she was captured by rebels along with her twenty-one-year-old sister. After five years in captivity they managed to escape and, in search of safety, walked to South Africa. Despite a lack of schooling, language barriers and financial challenges, Popina completed matric in 2013, followed by a degree in IT at Nelson Mandela University and a specialisation in cybersecurity from the University of Cape Town. Now, she works as a cybersecurity lecturer at a tertiary institution, and she uses her journey to inspire and empower others through education.

'The Smallest Ones' is published by Penguin Random House South Africa