Leila understands from early on that she is not part of normal Sudanese society. Her mother cannot care for her, so she is banished to a strict orphanage, along with other children born outside marriage. At school, Leila and her best friend Amal are called 'daughters of sin'. Her pretty sister, Zulima, is married off to a much older man, while the nannies say an abandoned girl is lucky to get an offer of marriage at all. At the age of ten, both Leila and Amal endure female circumcision. Despite appalling prejudice Leila remains outgoing and brave and manages to get an education. She goes on to marry, have four children, and divorce, yet even grown up she continues to know the stigma of being abandoned. Undaunted, she founds her own charity to help those shunned as outcasts and continues to work tirelessly today to dispel prejudice. This beautifully written memoir perfectly evokes the heat and colour of the North African desert and tells of the strengths and friendships that are born out of adversity.

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