Emmanuel’s Dream is the remarkable and encouraging life story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who was born with only one movable leg, narrated by Laurie Ann Thompson.
Emmanuel was born in 1977 in Koforidua/Ghana with a serious impairment of his right leg. Against all odds, Emmanuel perseveres: He rides his bike several kilometers to school every day, plays soccer and leaves home early to earn money.
Emmanuel eventually becomes a cyclist and rides over 600 kilometers across Ghana in 2001 to raise awareness about discrimination against people with disabilities in Ghana, in Africa and around the world.
Since then, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah has successfully participated in international competitions (partly with a prosthetic leg) and has received several awards for his political commitment. He travels as an activist for empowerment of people with disabilities, advocating for their rights and for greater mobility.
“Emmanuel’s Dream” is written in lyrical prose, and combined with Sean Qualls’ bold, expressive illustrations, is an empowering and inspiring book for elementary school-aged children.
Laurie Ann Thompson/Sean Qualls 2015: Emmanuel’s Dream. New York: Schwartz & Wade.
The film version of the story, narrated by Oprah Winfrey, is also recommended.
Emmanuels’s Dream | Lisa Lax/Nancy Stern | USA | 2006 | English | Documentary | 80 min.