Emmanuel Jal is a South Sudanese hip-hop artist and a former child soldier of Sudan’s brutal civil war that took place between 1983 and 2005. With five critically acclaimed albums, an autobiography, and a documentary to his name, Jal is focused on supporting South Sudanese youth with educational scholarships through ;his “Survivors of War” program. He founded the charity Gua Africa to work with individuals, families, and communities to help them overcome the effects of war and poverty. Jal owns a record label, Gatwitch Records, and a health food business, Jal Gua, which are both based in Toronto, Canada. Through his “We Want Peace” movement, Jal has been awarded the Calgary Peace Prize, the Humanitarian Award from the Hunt Institute, the Dresden Peace Prize, the Mattie Stepanek Peacemaker Prize, and the Desmond Tutu Reconciliation Award.