Recording artist Emmanuel Jal launches food store in Nairobi [Photos]

Canada-based South Sudanese singer Emmanuel Jal has launched a new food cafe in Nairobi.

Jal launched the Jal Gua and health food store in Kenyatta Market on January 26 in an event attended by several key personalities among Juliani, Brian Babu, Enos Olik and Olivia Mbani.

Jal said he was motivated to open the store after a health scare that was caused by unhealthy meals.

“I created Jal Gua in 2012 after being hospitalised twice and diagnosed with high blood pressure with doctors fearing diabetes was not far off. This made me look for a solution and made me realise that few people from my village suffered from diabetes.

"I then invested in eating healthy food, returning to eating traditional African foods and ingredients and eventually got better and on the right track healthwise,” Jal revealed. 

Emmanuel Jal fled the war in South Sudan where he was a child soldier to Kenya where he began schooling and eventually kick-started his music career.

In 2014, Jal also co-starred alongside Reese Witherspoon in the film 'The Good Lie', a drama set during the Second Sudanese Civil War, which Jal had firsthand experience with.

In 2021 Jal was appointed the United Nations Peace Ambassador.

Aside from being an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and global peace ambassador, Emmanuel Jal is an established international World Music/Hip-Hop recording artist.  

Jal is behind songs such as 'Shangah' 'Rakaboom' and 'Hey Mama'