A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea Young Readers' Edition ― One Teen Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival

The extraordinary true story of one teen refugee's quest to find a new life in the midst of one the most pressing international crises of our time, now adapted for young readers

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea chronicles the life of Doaa Al-Zamel, a Syrian girl whose life was upended in 2011 by her country's brutal civil war. She and her family escape to Egypt, but life soon quickly becomes dangerous for Syrians in that country. Doaa and her fiancé decide to flee to Europe to seek safety and an education, but four days after setting sail on a smuggler's dilapidated fishing vessel along with five hundred other refugees, their boat is struck and begins to sink.

Adrift in a frigid sea, no land in sight, nineteen-year-old Doaa stays afloat on a small inflatable ring and clutches two little girls to her body. The children had been thrust into Doaa's arms by their drowning relatives, all refugees who boarded a dangerously overcrowded ship bound for Italy and a new life. For days as she drifts, Doaa prays for rescue and sings to the babies in her arms. She must stay alive for them. She must not lose hope.

Doaa's eye-opening story, as told by the Melissa Fleming, Head of Communications and Chief Spokesperson for the United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), represents the millions of unheard voices of refugees who risk everything in a desperate search for a safe future.

Melissa Fleming is chief spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She travels to war zones and refugee camps to give voice to the millions of people forcibly displaced from their homes. She is frequently quoted in international media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR. Her talks are featured on TED.com. She first told Doaa's story on the TED stage, which went on to be viewed over a million times. A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea is her first book.