Popina Khumanda was five years old when a group of strangers invaded her village, bringing fire and death and terror that a young girl should never imagine. The Smallest Ones is a harrowing and powerful true story of survival and resilience in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo in the early 2000s. Popina recounts her capture by rebel soldiers, the killing of neighbours and friends, and the cruel torture and rape of the survivors. She shows how young boys were moulded into child soldiers and others were forced into slave labour. She recalls her flight for freedom with her older sister, beginning an epic journey to South Africa - and how, even so far away, their nightmare was not over. The Smallest Ones bears witness to the destructive impact of conflict on innocent lives, particularly children and women. Written with raw emotion and unflinching honesty, this book will take you to the darkest corners of human experience, yet it is also a testament to the enduring power of hope and the will to survive. This is not just a story of tragedy, but a poignant exploration of the human spirit's capacity to endure and overcome.

Popina Khumanda was born in 1995 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When she was five years old, her village was attacked and she was captured by rebels along with her twenty-one-year-old sister. After five years in captivity they managed to escape and, in search of safety, walked to South Africa. Despite a lack of schooling, language barriers and financial challenges, Popina completed matric in 2013, followed by a degree in IT at Nelson Mandela University and a specialisation in cybersecurity from the University of Cape Town. Today, she uses her journey to inspire and empower others through education.