'This is Doro and he is beautiful.'

So begins the extraordinary story of Doro Goumaneh, who faced an unimaginable series of adversities on his journey from persecution in The Gambia to refuge in France.

Doro was once a relatively prosperous fisherman, but in 2014, when the country's fishing rights were stolen and secret police began arresting Gambian fishermen, Doro left home, fleeing for his life. From Senegal to Libya to Algeria and back to Libya, Doro fell victim to the horrific cycle of abuse targeted at refugees. He endured shipwrecks, torture and being left for dead in a mass grave. Miraculously, he survived.

In 2019, during one of his many attempts to reach Europe, Doro was rescued by the boat Sea-Watch 3 in the Mediterranean, where he met volunteer Brendan Woodhouse. While waiting out a two-week standoff - floating off the coast of Sicily, as political leaders accused Sea-Watch, a German organisation that helps migrants, of facilitating illegal entry to Europe - a great friendship formed.

Told through both Doro's and Brendan's perspectives, Doro touches on questions of policy and politics, brutality and bravery, survival and belonging - issues that confront refugees everywhere. But ultimately it is one man's incredible story - that of Doro: refugee, hero, champion, survivor and friend.

The extraordinary story of Doro Goumaneh, a Gambian refugee fleeing violence, as told to Brendan Woodhouse, one of the people involved in his rescue

About the Author

Doro Goumaneh is a former fisherman from The Gambia who now lives in France as a refugee. He speaks many languages and is currently working as an electrician.

Brendan Woodhouse is a former British Army combat medic, with nineteen years' experience as a firefighter in the UK. Brendan has been involved in the search and rescue of over 8,000 refugees since the start of 2015, mainly with Sea-Watch.

Reviews

'Doro is a story of humanity, joy and hope. The story of hardship and bravery that overcomes the demonisation of refugees by the media and many politicians. The story stands alongside so many grim periods of history that blamed the victims of injustice; theirs is the real tale of humanity and heroism in the 21st century' Jeremy Corbyn

'When politicians talk about the "migrant crisis", too often they ignore the people at the heart of that crisis - the people who are forced to flee their homes to seek sanctuary in far-off lands. This powerful book tells that very human story: It's a tale of survival and friendship, reminding us that the decisions of distant policymakers can shape - and destroy - people's lives. Our world would be a better place if more politicians took this book's message to heart' Zarah Sultana, Labour MP for Coventry South

'... despite the terrible suffering Doro encounters, ultimately his story is an uplifting and enormously affecting story of resilience, kindness and survival, and of an unlikely friendship between two men - a British firefighter who helped save Doro's life, and Doro himself. They both deserve our thanks and admiration for having committed this important story to print.' Lord Alf Dubs

'It's hard not to cry reading this book. It's one of 2023's must-read books, and the must-read book if you live in Europe and care about other human beings. This is a book about Doro and Brendan and it is beautiful' FiveBooks.com

Book Information
ISBN 9781800182554
Author Brendan Woodhouse
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Unbound
Publisher Unbound