Ishmael Beah Biography: Wife, Books, Net Worth, Age, Advocacy, Parents, Child Soldiering, Awards, Ethnicity

Ishmael Beah is a Sierra Leonean author, human rights activist and former child soldier whose life-story transitioned from the horrors of the civil war in Sierra Leone to international literary recognition and advocacy on behalf of children affected by armed conflict.

He gained widespread notice with his memoir A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, which recounted his experiences as a child soldier and helped him become a prominent voice speaking out on the plight of children in war-zones.

Profile

• Full name: Ishmael Beah
• Date of birth: 23 November 1980
• Age: 45 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Mogbwemo, Bonthe District, Sierra Leone
• Nationality: Sierra Leonean
• Profession: Author, human rights activist, former child soldier
• Parents: Laura Simms
• Siblings: Junior Beah
• Spouse: Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda
• Children: N/A
• Relationship status: Married
• Ethnicity: Sierra Leonean
• Net worth: $5 million

Early Life and education

Ishmael Beah is now 45 years old, having been born on 23 November 1980 in Mogbwemo, Bonthe District, Sierra Leone. During his early childhood his life was disrupted when the civil war in Sierra Leone broke out. His parents and brothers were killed during the conflict, and at the age of twelve or thirteen he was forcibly recruited into the country’s armed forces as a child soldier.

Following his demobilisation he spent eight months in a demobilisation centre run with support from UNICEF in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and then reunited with his uncle. He later moved to the United States where he attended the United Nations International School and subsequently graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Personal Life

Ishmael Beah married Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda. He resides with his family and continues to divide his time between advocacy work, writing, and engagements related to human rights.

Career

Ishmael Beah’s professional path is remarkable for its trajectory: from experiencing war as a child soldier in Sierra Leone’s brutal civil conflict, to rehabilitation and then education abroad, and finally to publishing. His memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, was released in 2007 and brought international acclaim.

Following the success of his memoir, Beah published the novel Radiance of Tomorrow in 2014, exploring the broader aftermath of war in Sierra Leone. He subsequently published Little Family, a novel about young people living at the margins, in 2020.

In parallel to his writing, Beah has engaged deeply in advocacy around children in armed conflict. He was appointed as UNICEF’s first Advocate for Children Affected by War on 20 November 2007. He co-founded the Network of Young People Affected by War (NYPAW), and he is president of the Ishmael Beah Foundation, which supports children affected by armed conflict and seeks to advance reintegration and education.

His speaking engagements have included presentations before the United Nations and various international conferences addressing child-soldier issues and post-conflict rehabilitation.

Awards

• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier — nominated for the Quill Award in 2007.
• A Long Way Gone: named one of Time magazine’s Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2007, ranking at number three.

Net worth

Ishmael Beah‘s net worth is estimated to be at least $3 million. He derives his income from his work as an author, from speaking engagements and his advocacy efforts.

Social Media

• Instagram: @ishmaelhbeah
• X (formerly Twitter): @ishmaelbeah

Books

• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
• Radiance of Tomorrow
• Little Family