I didn't know if I would find a good way of living anymore before I came to America. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Privacy Notice| He and several cousins, who now live in North Dallas, were among about 20,000 "Lost Boys of Sudan" forced to flee as the Second Sudanese Civil War raged between 1983 and 2005, claiming But's father and 40 members of his extended family. And even though the majority attended school within Kakuma camp and had completed or were well on their way to completing high school, they did not necessarily qualify for entry into U.S. colleges. "We couldn't go back there; it was too dangerous.". 4. Salva is stuck in his war struck village, and he needs to show these qualities if he ever wants to make it to a safe place. That was where his health issues began. People dead.". The shells missed me. In 1991, when the government of Ethiopia fell apart, the new government chased us out of Panyido. the movement of people from one place to another. I was happy. The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987-2005). Some children were able to avoid capture or death because they were away from their villages tending cattle at the cattle camps (grazing land located near bodies of water where cattle were taken and tended largely by the village children during the dry season) and were able to flee and hide in the dense African bush. In this way, girls were prevented from earning a formal education, further entrenching them in their inability to sustain themselves. "Language was difficult. It was painful. Get the latest news about the IRC's innovative programs, compelling stories about our clients and how you can make a difference. [11] Additionally, attacks by lions, snakes, and other wild animals were not uncommon. Explore our discussion guides, reading lists, and lesson plans here. On Sunday, Abraham But saw his mother for the first time in 30 years. In June 1992, the boys reached Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, where they would spend the next nine years. "It was better for his mother to come see him.". Go to National Geographic's Sudan Facts page and invite volunteers to take turns reading aloud the information. From time to time, we like to tell you about the movers and shakers who don't always make it to the front page. I walked all the way to Oboth. what new things the Lost Boys experienced on the journey from Kenya to the U.S. explain who the Lost Boys of Sudan are and how they got that name, locate northern Sudan, southern Sudan, and the Dinka homeland on a world map, describe the experiences of the Lost Boys in Sudan and after they fled Sudan, Tech Setup: 1 computer per classroom, Projector, Speakers. Over the next year the IRC helped hundreds resettle in and around Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Seattle and Tucson. Lost Boys of Sudan the Emmy-Nominated, Critically Acclaimed Documentary. She held her hands up to her face and stepped back. For nearly three hours, But waited for his mother at the international arrivals gate at DFW International Airport. The IRC's Phoenix resettlement office, for example, worked with clinical psychologists to provide specialized counseling services. I don't know how, but the river was moving so fast it brought me to the other side. I walked for three days to get to a place called Okila. He was sleeping in the same bed as my brother, but my brother Aleer Gideon did not get shot. [11] Ultimately, being raised in a refugee camp significantly altered their development and ability to assimilate into regular life.[19]. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. I was good at climbing trees, but not at swimming. They immediately required housing and schooling, which changed the allocation of resources in the camps. I guess this outbreak is good for something. You realized later they were all dead. In 2001, as part of a program established by the United States Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 3,800 Lost Boys were offered resettlement in the United States. Sometime before morning hours, I escaped under the fence. In Kakuma, the native people treated us badly because they didn't know us. Also, a brother who went to Australia as a Lost Boy. CORLEY: Okay. In 1994, I went back to Sudan. Issues such as racial prejudice and class privilege come up as the two try to adjust to new lives in the United States. They spent three and a half years there - until unrest in that country led to the government's overthrow in May 1991 and camp refugees scurrying once again. [30] Because these girls had been living within a family unit for anywhere from 914 years, they were no longer considered orphans, and therefore were ineligible for the resettlement program. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. I don't know where he is. So that was the highlight of my journey. CORLEY: John, tell me a little bit about what you're doing now, and what you wish for yourself and hope for your people and hope people will learn from your story. food items consumed by . [27][28], Not unlike other parts of Africa, Sudanese women were viewed as subordinate to men in families and villages. Brennen Jensen is Baltimore-based freelancer who writes frequently for Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine and publications as diverse as AARP The Magazine and the Southern culinary publication The Local Palate. There was no food for a while. They also got blissfully acquainted with something called pizza. They captured me. Worse still, when he got home his foster mother ("a wonderful woman") grounded him for just for wanting to punch the other boy. Some were attacked and killed by wild animals; others drowned crossing rivers and many were caught in the crossfire of fighting forces. In 1991, war in Ethiopia sent the young refugees fleeing again and approximately a year later they began trickling into northern Kenya. Pre-teach relevant vocabulary, including human migration, immigrant, emigrant, refugee, and resettlement.2. Mr. MAJOK: Yeah, my mother and my sister, they are the only surviving members. But again, the words were very effective on each of us, and eventually they materialized into a reunion. There was fighting. Her sparkly blue earrings shookas she prayed, three decades of separation hanging between her and her son. [34] Male children inherited their parents' wealth after their death, and so parents strongly desired to have male children, often at the expense of the care of the females. Majok is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, the young boys who walk thousands of miles, fighting starvation and wild animals as they fled the violence of their country during civil war. The interests of northern business in extracting these resources contrasted the interests of southern farmers to protect and own their own land for agriculture. The dialogue during the two dinner parties from hell is wonderfully bitchy and witty. The river was full of people. Phone 202-328-8842 Fax 202-328-8757 Email sojourners@sojo.net Now what do I do with all this free time? You should have seen my eyes. I thought I would be someone who wouldn't live anymore. Or, Mr. MAJOK: Not at all. Include geographic features, animals, and and plant life in your drawing. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. I know his name, but I haven't seen him for a while. When I jumped into the river, I went too deep and my stomach was bleeding and I couldn't breathe. Julieta joined The News in 2010 as a reporter and has covered North Texas suburbs, Dallas County government and breaking news. The rest bar about three who entered the military went to other major universities. "That came later.". We didn't have water or anything. He and his cousin were tending the family cattle when North Sudanese militia struck the town. Newsroom| Now South Sudan is facing a humanitarian catastrophe and an upsurge of violence between ethnic groups. May 1, 2023. In 1987, civil war drove an estimated 20,000 young boys from their families and villages in southern Sudan. At night, we were trying to sleep but some people came and shot at us. At age 13, he became a child soldier before . Jacob Atem, who fled Sudan as a boy, was one of the storytellers at "Stoop Stories," a Baltimore event. Additionally, the conflict boosted economic elements. South Sudan allows free access to Lost Boys/Girls and Sudanese Diaspora from around the world to return to their homeland. It was the last day I saw them. Do you feel Americans remember much about the Lost Boys and their plight? [13] The Boys often depended on the charity of villages they passed for food, necessities, and treatment of the sick. If you found one kernel of corn you lived off that for a day or two. Half of them died. Young Abraham, only 3 or 4, prepared to flee with a group of boys, including a number of older cousins - among them Peter Thiong, Philip Machok and Philip Ayuen. 1145 17th Street NW Then, in 2005, news came that gave them hope: A peace agreement had been signed between North and South. He suffered two strokes in 2011, and his cousins brought him back to Dallas. NyakMarol Kur looked disoriented as the officer tentatively pointed to the group of men waiting with But. [8] Children were highly marginalized during this period. This lists the logos of programs or partners of. In 2001, close to four thousand Lost Boys came to the United States seeking peace, freedom and education. The Dinka are the largest ethnic group in southern Sudan. David Ayual Mayom, originally from South Sudan, holds a photo of his family in a Kenyan refugee camp. Rape was rampant during attacks on villages as the attackers would use rape as a weapon of the war. And also, the highlight of my visit was that I got married to my beautiful wife whom I promised - we made our promises before I came here that this was going to be our plan, and we kept our promises. Then discuss the historical, cultural, and geographic factors that contributed to Sudans civil war and some of the consequences the civil warwhich lasted over twenty yearshad on Sudan and its peoples, including orphaned children, violence, famine, and disease. That same 100 won the Eton Fives championship and never lost a rugby or cricket match. After . "That's how I left," But said. A variety of programs have been initiated to help these displaced people in areas of education, medical assistance, reconnecting with families in South Sudan and in rebuilding efforts and providing humanitarian aid in Southern Sudan. Sudan. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. The main story is about how they learn to live in America. Groups of Boys were often organized and led by the oldest boy in the group, who could be a young adult or sometimes as young as ten or twelve years old. But then, during his sophomore year of high school, this: "One morning, my foster mom just dropped me off at the school bus. The Sudanese conflict, which incited the journey of the Lost Boys, stemmed from divisions among the Arabic-speaking Islamic Northerners and the Christian, Roman Catholic, and indigenous religions in the South. Mr. MAJOK: Well, I remember how I walked a thousand miles with other children of my age to unknown destination. Introduce the film God Grew Tired of Us and the excerpt students will watch.Explain to students that the film documents the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan as they fled civil war, spent a decade growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp, and were eventually resettled in the United States. They took me to the place where they had a lot of people they'd captured. It's quite challenging, but it can be reversed because some of these are temporary political campaigns from opportunistic politicians taking advantage of what I call a misunderstanding between American people and refugees or immigrants. His mother grabbed it and pulled him into an embrace. I needed to get across the river. A corner was turned. The effects intensified once they reached Ethiopia's Pinyudo refugee camp, where latrines were in short supply. the Sudan, many young Sudanese were transferred south to the Kakuma refugee camp in Northern Kenya. We fell into the river. April | 136 views, 5 likes, 7 loves, 7 comments, 3 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Radio Maria - Ireland: Chatechesis with Fr. There are some bad apples who may have damaged the reputation of the refugees. I have never lost hope in God that I believe, and I think that what is strengthened me and kept me going. What should be a mother-son reunion untarnished by other concerns will be, in effect, a mother coming to visit her sick son. "At the end of the day, somebody was able to help," Machok said. The excerpt includes stories from the Kakuma refugee camp. Best Documentary . In the novel, A Long Walk To Water, by Linda Sue Park, a young boy named Salva is a Southern Sudan refugee, a "Lost Boy". It was a bullet, but I didn't know what it was. But then few have one as horrific, heartbreaking and ultimately inspiring as the one told by Jacob Atem, who was born in the part of Sudan that is now the independent country of South Sudan and who is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Humanitarian Health. You cannot download interactives. Upon their arrival in the camps in Ethiopia, the boys were placed into boys-only areas of the camp. Discussion Guide |Lost Boys of Sudan Background Information Season 17 P.O.V. [34], When conflict reached the rural parts of Southern Sudan, women were affected just as much as the men, only in different ways. When we see this sign that said 'Dead End' with our little English, we say, 'Wow, you go there, you will never die again.' Let's talk a little bit about what's been happening since you came to the United States six years ago. He shows strength, courage and bravery when he makes his journey to escape war. Three of my friends were killed. [14] Although these family placement practices provided security for young women, families often exploited the extra pair of hands at home. Water was scarce, and they would sometimes go half a day without a drink. They were somehow yelling at each other while whispering at the same time. The people crossing the river had to throw all their bags away but it didn't do any good because the shooting continued. Mr. MAJOK: When we came as political refugee when we're - when I resettled here, we were put in group of two or three or four or five people - Sudanese who know each other in the same apartment. CORLEY: Because you have to go through the whole visa process. While I was jumping in the water, I heard a sound. Then the UNHCR came in and started bringing food. Therefore, the Lost Boys are more focused on in literature. For each side, religion constituted identity, making the conflict extremely personal for all involved. Urgent aid needed in Sudan and neighboring Chad. The Lost Boys of Sudan Over 30 years ago, Sudan's civil war uprooted 20,000 Sudanese children. I found the Sudanese Red Cross lady that had told me not to leave Pachala. "Me and another guy used to put them between us and cover them with our clothes when it was cold," he said. Even before the conflict, inequalities between the Lost Boys and Lost Girls were manifested in the cultural practices of the Dinka and Nuer people. It seems that the encounter, painful as it was, proved to be a pivotal moment in your development. Those are the stories that Americans can be proud of it because it's America that made us who we are. Would he recognize her? And those values, especially my dad, who inspired me to be determined and goal oriented, I still remember his words. It was a tough life. Nearly 4,000 were ultimately resettled in the U.S. His "beautiful life" in a small village on the banks of the Nile River came to an end when he was around 7. Parents need to know that The Lost Boys of Sudan follows the true stories of two young men whose families were murdered or dispersed in Sudan's civil war. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. These young men trekked across sub-Saharan Africa in search of safety, and eventually found homes in the United States. I didn't have a good life when I was a young kid, but today I've learned more and I have a good life. Lesson Plan: Lost Childhoods: Exploring the Consequences of Collective Violence (Part 3), Interviews: In Search of a Durable Solution, Download POV's step-by-step guide to organizing an event (PDF) . I remembered how the elders had shown us how to protect ourselves, so I covered myself with a person who was dead. It has been roughly estimated that about 20,000 young boys left their families and villages in Sudan. I remember how vulnerable children are. CORLEY: Well, you were only - were you 6 or 7 years old when the war erupted and your story began? Why did you choose a career in humanitarian health? A 2007 Slippery Rock University graduate, Ajang . Many children survived a gruesome 1,000-mile walk to get to the closest refugee camp. When the US resettlement program began in 1999, one requirement was that the children must be orphans. I was thinking all day what I could do about it. But for me its a prerequisite of going to law school, which would be my long-term goal. I grabbed the kid. I didn't know how to swim so all day I watched people being killed. I laughed out loud when I read these scenes. [32], Although there is much attention directed toward the Lost Boys, common historical narratives often ignore their counterparts, the Lost Girls. The tenuous peace held, and in 2011 southern Sudan held a referendum in which its people almost unanimously decided to secede from Sudan and form a new nation. While the boys were encouraged to share their stories and what happened to them, girls were shunned from public light. That's how I crossed the river that killed so many people. The Lost Boys are fighting in Iraq with the American military. Twenty years ago, America was a role model for the free world. Contact Us. They were brought to America after many tragic events that led to the lost of their families. It was five more years before But, who graduated from Hillcrest High School in 2004, would be in touch with his mother again, only by phone and unlike his cousins he has not seen any of the family he left behind since he left in 1987, in big part due to his worsening health issues. [11] The Lost Boys came to the camps without guardians or adult supervision. He also co-founded the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization, a nonprofit working within his war-torn homeland. We were with Red Cross vehicles and we went all the way to Nairus. Moreover, the stories of the Lost Girls are generally forgotten in light of their limited exposure when in the refugee camps. Coming here, after drinking urine and eating mud and in a terrible condition, I felt really truly blessed with what we have in this country. Further, the Northern population was primarily Arabic-speakers, while the South comprised an English speaking population. CORLEY: You actually went back to the Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya. They traveled at night to avoid aerial bombardment and the daytime heat. Code of Ethics| Displaced from their homes in the late 1980's. I stayed flat and waited until nighttime. Mr. MAJOK: Exactly. Now the traumatized 16-year-old stewed in his anger. More than 20,000 children living in southern Sudan lost their families, their homes and nearly all hope in 1987 because of a brutal civil war. They were known as the Lost Boys. Then ask students to write a brief summary describing who the Lost Boys are and what they experienced. In the United States, they relied onchurch volunteersand others who rallied to find themhomes and opportunities to continue their education. person who moves to a new country or region. Even though I was very young by the time I left, in (unintelligible) a society, you know, a child as soon as she or he learns how to speak, is told the story and the family tradition. "In 2001, I was resettled to a place called Michigan," he recalled. The Lost Boys faced enormous challenges in adjusting to American culture and modern society. "The wild animals were also very vicious, especially the lions, and a lot of people got attacked," Atem told a hushed audience at Baltimore's historic Senator Theater. Research the geography of Sudan and South Sudan. Ask students if they're familiar with Peter Pan's Lost Boyscharacters in the J.M. I understand there are still some. Just as things got a little better with food, the enemy from Ethiopia crossed the border and the fighting began again. Many children, a number of them orphaned, headed toward the Ethiopian border. The IRC also helped these young entrepreneurs start savings accounts and access small loans to invest in their futures. Are you in touch with your sister or other relatives in Sudan or South Sudan? The circumstances aren't ideal, Thiong admitted. After 30 years, a Lost Boy from Sudan embraces his mother once more, Judge defends keeping eye on Texas overuse of mental health drugs on foster children, Mayday: Texas school leaders sound alarm, ask for more state money for public education, Gov. Raise your hand if you've ever spent more time picking out a movie to watch on Netflix than the length of the actual movie you ended up choosing (). David Weddle last wrote for the magazine about the lasting emotional damage to veterans of World War II . Are you optimistic that the U.S. will become more welcoming? A young immigration officer in his navy uniform escorted her out the gate. We all had to jump down. They know the lost boys arrived here, but they don't really know what happened to us. The media has focused on a group of refugee children internationally referred to as the "Lost Boys" of Sudan. Narus was where But, now 7 or 8, learned that his father had been killed in the war several months earlier. As he just mentioned, he got married while he was there and saw his mother and his sister - a joyous occasion as he say. When we first got here, a lot of us were diagnosed with PTSD. [20] These camps' inability to sustain the additional population burden made it evident to government officials that more needed to be done. I lived in a refugee camp there trying to find a way to get to America. But, you know, we are willing to learn and just be able to put yourself in the society you can just learn. This kid sitting next to me said, 'Hey, what's up, monkey?' In Buma, I found the UN and they announced that they would take the little children. Once a person was involved in trafficking, it was extremely difficult for family members to relocate them.[38]. October 3, 2014 Photo: International Rescue Committee In 1987, civil war drove an estimated 20,000 young boys from their families and villages in southern Sudan. In December 2013, political tensions between factions loyal to President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar erupted into fighting in South Sudan's capital, Juba. Sudanese children playing football in Zam Zam camp in 2016 - five years after South Sudan gained independence. CORLEY: John Majok is one of the thousands of boys who was displaced by the Sudanese civil war. As small boys, Peter and Santino lost their families to the war and were forced to flee . I was last in contact with them in 2013, and then the war erupted again. Many of the Lost Boys resettled by the IRC also took part in IRC programs aimed at helping them cope with their traumatic past and easing their transition into such a different culture. Once upon a time, he was a young boy that was separated from his family during a . I'm ready to share my story, to get invited to speak whether it's at the White House or wherever it is. Relief workers called them the Lost Boys after the characters in the J.M. That is true. . If a lack of sufficient food and water weren't privation enough, militia forces pursued the boys, even bombing them from helicopters. CORLEY: Here you are. Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the conflict. It was difficult for the camps to provide sufficient food for the hundreds of boys arriving daily. Best Documentary Bay Area SF Int'l Film Festival Golden Gate Award. Mr. JOHN MAJOK (Lost Boys of Sudan): Thank you very much for having me. When I got to my house, I accidentally kicked a can and the enemy heard me. I was living with a group of children in Panyido, Ethiopia who had also lost their families. The movie's story is probably one of the best parts. Burbach, C. "Rally features Sudanese vice president. Number two are my values - my family value. Barrie novel Peter Pan who formed a family and took care of each other in Never-Never Land. An aerial view of Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, home to thousands of South Sudanese refugees, including the "Lost Boys.". Of course, we were chased by the then enemy who was fighting against Sudanese. And that's my priority - my first priority now just to make sure I go through all those immigration procedures, which take a while. Southern Sudan need stability and development because the civil war, which took 20 years and left two million people dead, has formally ended by the - with a comprehensive peace agreement. Tell us about that trip, and who did you see there? Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. As a result, many are now returning to South Sudan to pay it forward and help in the rebuilding of their war-torn country, and to provide humanitarian aid and support. When the shooting cooled down, I asked the boy next to me if he would try to cross the river with me. CORLEY: Well, we are talking to John Majok, who recently returned to Kenya and the refugee camp that housed him after fleeing his war-torn home in Sudan. Brennen Jensen for NPR [14][23], Because many boys were over the age of 18, they were unable to be placed into the foster care system. Help the IRC continue to bring critical support to Sudan and other crisis zones around the world. My dream is to have a dialogue on immigration. Jeanne Wallace-Weaver, Educational Consultant, adapted from the National Geographic Xpeditions lessons God Grew Tired of Us: Migration and Cultural Interaction and God Grew Tired of Us: Culture Clash and Community-Building. "People would call me monkey, the 'n' word, you name it and I would record that and give it to the principal. Over the next decade the Lost Boys built new lives for themselves in their adopted country. Artem Ryzhykov during the early days of the Russian invasion, in Irpin, Ukraine. Not all made it. But life was little better after reaching the Kakuma refugee camp in the Kenyan desert. I couldn't run because the bullets were all around me. These boys are . Because many of the newly arrived Lost Boys were over 18 and considered adults, they were not placed into foster care. A night of soul-searching led him to a new strategy: technology over knuckles. Have students locate Sudan on the map.Ask students to locate Sudan on a wall map of the world. No school = no homework, which is fine by me. What refugees want is to come to this country, work hard, get their education and give back to society as I did. Divide students into small groups and have them mark the migration journey of the Lost Boys. Although the north had more of the urban centers of the nation, they depended heavily on natural resources such as oil and minerals that were found in the southern region. This resettlement program of "Lost Boys" received wide publicity as the Sudanese youths arrived in the United . But the focal point here is that we sit down and see the big picture. The International Rescue Committee helped hundreds of them to start new lives in cities across the country. The conflict between northern and southern Sudan had been roiling for four years and by 1987 had spilled into Bor and the surrounding area. You're only 26 years old now. I had lived with him. [14][15] Conditions were made even more dangerous by the SPLA soldiers, who would attack the boys or forcibly recruit them as child soldiers. You did make it, but was it difficult to make friends, or how was that for you? And these four Ds, plus my belief in God, telling me achieve what I want to achieve. Sustainability Policy| [21] They are now scattered over at least 38 cities, including major metropolises such as Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Seattle and Atlanta. Some 10,000 boys, between the ages of eight and 18, eventually made it to the Kakuma refugee campa sprawling, parched settlement of mud huts where they would live for the next eight years under the care of refugee relief organizations like the IRC. "We talked to the doctor and he said the chances were not good for him to go," Machok said. As a result, they began to conglomerate and organize themselves in an effort to flee the country and the war.[9][10].
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