Ken and Jeeli are two 12-year-old children. Their greatest desire is to explore the city. So they decide to run away from the island of Gorée, where they live with their families, and head for Dakar. A ruthless world awaits them, but they soon befriend other children who work odd jobs. All expelled from Dakar, they migrate inland. The journey is long and exhausting. They finally arrive in an abandoned village, where they meet an old shepherd who becomes their mentor. Thus, the children's republic is born.