Radical Inclusion is a debut work of nonfiction by David Moinina Sengeh, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education in Sierra Leone. Published in May 2023, the book joins Melinda French Gates’ book, The Moment of Lift (2019) in a book series of the same title that was created by Gates. As a contribution to the series, Sengeh’s Radical Inclusion embodies the Moment of Lift Books' mission of “publishing original nonfiction […] to unlock a more equal world for women and girls.”
The book centers the story of how newly appointed as a cabinet minister in Sierra Leone in 2019, Sengeh sought to overturn the ban on pregnant girls from attending school across the country. In his quest, the stakes are high primarily because many citizens view his proposal to be too liberal, foreign, and against the grain of religion and tradition in Sierra Leone. Sengeh writes about his concern that people he once thought to be like-minded and progressive express sentiments that exclude pregnant and vulnerable girls. This strengthens his commitment to uphold their ‘Radical Inclusion in Schools’ policy that strives for the “the intentional inclusion (…) of historically marginalized groups: pregnant girls and parent learners, children with disabilities, children from rural and underserved areas, and children from low-income families.” (179).
Radical Inclusion doubles as a how-to book via its provision of seven steps termed “the Seven Principles of Radical Inclusion”. These steps are discussed in separate chapters where Sengeh details some life ‘lessons in exclusion’ and exemplifies how he achieves success with uplifting the ban. The seven practical steps range from pointers like the identification of exclusion or injustice, active listening, coalition building, etc. in a bid to experience positive change of varying magnitudes.
Non-fiction books like this present a unique challenge of balancing timelines, anecdotes, advice, and musings. Sengeh achieves a good balance with a fast-paced and measured narrative tone with which the reader becomes acquainted with his outlook and beliefs. In 240 pages, we are introduced to Sengeh, the doting father of three girls, the Harvard and MIT-educated young man turned minister and the rap and colourful sock aficionado among other things.
In his narration, Sengeh also uses certain imagery that emphasize his empathy like the details of a conversation with a pregnant young woman by a well that moves him to tears or when he engages in active listening with naysayers in opposition to his proposal to lift the ban. Most chapters engage with book quotes from writers and iconic leaders like Brené Brown, Shimon Peres, and Barack Obama or tips gleaned from conversations with Tanzania’s Jakaya Kikwete. Radical Inclusion is therefore cleverly written with attention to persuasive elements that make for good writing.
Perhaps most apparent is the book's overt use of context cues and definition of terms which signals that the intended audience is primarily Western or American. Some examples are defining terms like code-switching, and Salone time, or commenting on ‘football versus soccer’ and in other instances, offering direct translations of phrases in Krio to English. What makes this effective is the inclusion of quotes by world leaders, and anecdotes detailing Sengeh’s experiences both abroad and at home in Sierra Leone thus rendering the book one of global relevance.
The success of Radical Inclusion reaffirms that Sengeh is a fitting individual to have authored it. Through the book, he presents himself as someone who embodies radical inclusion and empathy both in the workplace and at home. The book is also successful in the way it accomplishes the discussion of radical inclusion via seven principles and its portrayal of Sengeh as a progressive leader. The call to action is clear. It is that we join the conversation; steer away from actions of exclusion; and think and practice inclusion. And when we do, there are seven well-crafted steps and principles to guide us.
Charmaine Denison-George is an associate editor at Poda-Poda Stories