The Happy AngolanThe Happy Angolan

This is a compelling and inspiring story of a child of war who demonstrated incredible resilience and courage to survive despite great grief and suffering. Custodio Victorino was born in Angola, a country that, between 1975 and 2002, was wracked by a Civil War in which up to 800,000 people died and over four million were internally displaced, as well as an estimated 450,000 who fled to neighbouring countries. This unique story tells of Custodio’s remarkable journey, which needed to be recorded and written on behalf of the many other nameless, faceless, displaced people whose stories may remain unknown. He was just one of a billion children worldwide under the age of eighteen who grew up in a country traumatised by conflict and war. The traumatic experiences or memories of war can take years to fade, and indeed, some may never disappear completely. Despite many struggles, suicidal thoughts, and setbacks, they still did not end when he chose to escape from the land of his birth in pursuit of a place he could call home. This ‘Happy Angolan’ tells of his experiences and lessons learnt on the journey, which spans almost fifty years, and eventually settling in New Zealand, 14,000 km from his birthplace in Angola. His reason for telling his story is to offer hope and encouragement to others facing life’s challenges. His story will break your heart and change your life.