When he was six, the father of Omerio Balda Pinto of the West African country of Guinea-Bisseau sold him to a tribal leader in return for a promise that he would bestow a blessing on the father’s home. The tribal leader made the boy a slave. After years of cruelty and grinding work Omerio managed to flee, and at age 12 he was able for the first time to realize his dream of going to school. Later he became politically active and was persecuted by the government until at age 16 he had to flee the country. With the help of forged papers he reached Cairo, and from there stole across the border to Israel. Omerio was caught by the immigration police and spent three months in prison. He is now trying to obtain a passport, and dreams of finding a university that will accept him.