I AM SAM
A story of courage and freedom
Children's book / 2021
This is the inspiring true story of Sam, a young boy from Somalia, and his journey to freedom through Hong Kong to Canada. A tale of courage and kindness, Sam is a reminder to us all of the incredible resilience of the human spirit and what is possible when we keep our hearts and minds open.
Who is Sam?
I am Sam is the true story of Sam, one of the millions of children and adults around the world forced to flee their homes and countries because of war, famine, discrimination and environmental disaster.
Meeting Sam opened our eyes to the existence of an asylum seeker and refugee community in Hong Kong and the daily challenges they face. Most arrive in Hong Kong not speaking Chinese or English, unable to work and barely able to survive on the small amount of funds they receive from the Government. Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live. Many asylum seekers must wait years before they know whether their application for refugee status will be accepted. They live with the daily fear of a phone call that tells them they will be sent back. Once they receive refugee status they must wait once again for another country to grant them residency as Hong Kong does not accept refugees. They do not have ID cards so cannot participate as ordinary citizens despite the skills they would like to offer. This is the reality of the millions of displaced people around the world.
Meeting Sam opened our hearts to the kindness, generosity and courage inherent within us all no matter how difficult the circumstances. Sam’s open heart and mind led him to helping others in his community and those less fortunate in Hong Kong. Despite the difficulties he faced, he too learnt about the intrinsic good within the many people who stepped forward to help him on his journey towards freedom.
Proceeds from this book are donated to Learning Together, the not-for-profit organization Sam co-founded, and the UNHCR. This book is a call to us all to work towards a world in which every human has a right to live in peace with access to food and shelter. Sam wishes to sincerely thank everyone who has supported and believed in him throughout his life and on his journey to freedom.
About the author:
Claire Hsu wrote this book with her three daughters (Simone, Eliette and Camille) who have had the enormous privilege of welcoming Sam into their family. This book is a continuation of Claire and many other’s work to shine light on less visible voices and histories from the (art) field. When we are brave enough to truly listen and look from within, what becomes clear is how connected we all are.
Claire Hsu wrote this book with her three daughters (Simone, Eliette and Camille) who have had the enormous privilege of welcoming Sam into their family. This book is a continuation of Claire and many other’s work to shine light on less visible voices and histories from the (art) field. When we are brave enough to truly listen and look from within, what becomes clear is how connected we all are.
Kori Song is an illustrator and artist currently based in Hong Kong. Kori’s expressive and colorful illustrations reflect her interest in the relationship and connections between cities and those who live in them. Her previous books include illustrated Found in Hong Kong, and Found in Melbourne. Her illustrations are selected for the 2020 Illustrators Exhibition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
