Young Omar is the protagonist of the narrative. His story represents the real life of Omar Mohamed, co-author of When Stars Are Scattered. Omar is approximately 11 when the story opens; throughout the story, readers see him at 13 and 17 as well, along with an important backstory flashback to age 4. Born in Somalia, a country in Africa, Omar lived with his parents and younger brother Hassan in a small village called Mareerey when he was small: “I remember my dad used to take me out to the fields with him while he worked. My mother would bring him lunch and we’d all eat together under a tree” (178). When a civil war in Somalia begins, his father is killed. His mother becomes separated from Omar, and the two small brothers are forced to flee with village neighbors and make the long trek to Kenya, an African country to the west of Somalia. Omar and Hassan must recover from the journey in a hospital when they arrive at Dadaab, the large refugee camp. When they recover their health, they are placed with a guardian, Fatuma, in the part of the camp called Ifo.