From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lost Boys of Sudan
Lost Boys of Sudan
The Lost Boys of Sudan is the name given to the groups for food, and under a false impression the child would be
of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups attending school.[4]
who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second The war impacted girls too. When villages were at-
Sudanese Civil War (1983–2005), about 2.5 million killed tacked, girls were reportedly raped, and women and
and millions were displaced.[1] The name "Lost Boys of small children (boys and girls) were taken to the north
Sudan" was colloquially used by aid workers in the to be used or sold as slaves. When arriving in the camps
refugee camps where the boys resided in Africa. in Ethiopia, the boys were placed in boys-only areas of
the camp, but according to Sudanese culture, the girls
History could not be left alone and were placed with surviving
family members or adopted by other Sudanese families.
In 2001, as part of a program established by the United When the resettlement program to the US was initiated
States Government and the United Nations High Com- in 1999, one of the requirements was that the children
missioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 3800 must be orphans. Because these girls had been living in
Lost Boys were allowed to resettle in the United States. these family units for up to 9–14 years, they were no
They are now scattered over at least 38 cities.[1] Halted longer considered orphans and therefore, were not eligi-
after 9/11 for security reasons, the program restarted ble for the resettlement program. As a result, relatively
in 2004. As of 2006, the largest population of Sudanese few of the Lost Girls were deemed eligible for the reset-
refugees in the United States is in Omaha, Nebraska, tlement program to the US.[3]
which hosts about 7,000 people.[2] Numerous resettle- By 1992, UNICEF had reunited almost 1200 Lost Boys
ment agencies, such as Catholic Charities, Lutheran So- with their families. However, about 17,000 were still in
cial Services, the IRC, World Relief and others assisted camps in the area as of 1996.[5]
in the resettlement process. A variety of programs have In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)
been initiated to help these displaced people, in areas of was signed between the North and South of Sudan allow-
education, medical assistance, reconnecting with fami- ing free access to Lost Boys/ Girls and Sudanese Diaspo-
lies in South Sudan and in rebuilding efforts and provid- ra from around the world to return to their homeland. As
ing humanitarian aid in Southern Sudan.[3] a result, many are now returning to South Sudan to pay
Most of the boys were orphans separated from their it forward and help in the rebuilding of their war torn
families when government troops and government- country and to provide humanitarian aid and support. In
sponsored militias systematically attacked villages in January 2011, 99.47% of South Sudanese voted to sepa-
southern Sudan, killing many of the inhabitants. Many rate from the north and become an independent nation.
avoided capture or death because they were away from Some of the US Lost Boys and Girls now hold positions in
their villages tending cattle at the cattle camps (grazing Government of South Sudan.[3]
lands located near bodies of water where cattle were tak-
en and tended largely by the village children during the
dry season) and were able to flee and hide in the dense
Books and film
African bush. Presumably orphaned, they traveled by There have been a number of books and films about the
foot for years in search of safe refuge, on a journey that Lost Boys, including:
carried them over a thousand miles across three coun- • 2010: A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk, by Jan L. Coates. A
tries to refugee camps where they resided in Ethiopia and novel based on the life of Jacob Deng, now living in
Kenya and in various villages where they sought refugee Nova Scotia, Canada.[6]
in South Sudan. Over half died along their epic journey, • 2010: NCIS: Los Angeles, "Breach"
due to starvation, dehydration, sickness and disease and • 2009: Rebuilding Hope, a documentary by Jen Marlowe
attack by wild animals and enemy soldiers.[3] Experts say following three Lost Boys, Gabriel Bol Deng, Koor
they are the most badly war-traumatized children ever Garang and Garang Mayuol, as they return to South
examined.[1] The Foundation For The Lost Boys pay for Sudan.[7]
them to go to school in the states • 2009: Aher Arop Bol, The Lost Boy: The true story of a
Some of the unaccompanied male minors were con- young boy’s flight from Sudan to South Africa (Kwela
scripted by Southern rebel forces and used as soldiers in Books). ISBN 978-0-7957-0278-5
the rebel army, while others were handed over to the • 2009: Emmanuel Jal, "War Child" . The story of
government by their own families to ensure protection, Emmanuel Jal, a child soldier and current rap artist.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lost Boys of Sudan
journey of Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng and
Benjamin Ajak, who came to the US in 2001, before
9/11.[8]
• 2005: Mark Bixler, The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American
Story of the Refugee Experience[9]
• 2005: Joan Hecht, The Journey of the Lost Boys. ISBN
0-9763875-0-6
• 2005: Dinka Diaries, documentary about Lost Boys in
Philadelphia,
• 2004: I Heart Huckabees, the movie mentions the
Sudanese War and former Lost Boy Ger Duany acts in
the movie[10]
• 2004: Abraham Nhial and DiAnn Mills. Lost Boy No
More. ISBN 0-80543186-1
• 2004: The 7th Heaven episode "Lost and Found"
(season 8, first aired May 3, 2004), depicted two Lost
Boys.
• 2003: Lost Boys of Sudan, a documentary film about
two Lost Boys, Santino Majok Chuor and Peter
Nyarol Dut, who come to the USA. Aired on P.O.V..
• 2003: A Great Wonder: Lost Children of Sudan Resettling in
America. Film about three Lost Boys as immigrants to
Seattle, WA.
• 2002: Benjamin and his Brother, directed by Arthur
Howe.[11]
See also
• Lopez Lomong
Valentino Achak Deng, subject of Dave Eggers’s book What Is References
the What [1] ^ Lost Boys of Sudan, official IRC website.
[2] Burbach, C. "Rally features Sudanese vice
• 2007: The Without A Trace episode "Lost Boy" (season president." Omaha World-Herald. July 22, 2006.
6, first aired September 27, 2007), included two "Lost [3] ^ Joan Hecht. The Journey of the Lost Boys
Boys" from Sudan as supporting characters. [4] See for example War Child: A Child Soldier’s Story
• 2007: John Bul Dau and Michael Sweeney, God Grew by Emmanuel Jal
Tired of Us: A Memoir. The life story of John Dau, who [5] 1996 Unicef report
was also chronicled in the 2006 documentary God [6] A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk, a novel based on the
Grew Tired of Us. ISBN 978-1426201141 life of Jacob Deng. ISBN 978-0-88995-451-9
• 2007: Felicia R. McMahon, Not Just Child’s Play: [7] Rebuilding Hope, a documentary by Jen Marlowe
Emerging Tradition and the Lost Boys of Sudan. An [8] They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky, official book site.
analysis of the music, dance, and folklore of the [9] The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the
DiDinga community living around Syracuse, New Refugee Experience, a nonfiction book about ’Lost
York. ISBN 978-1-57806-987-3. Boys’ resettled in the United States
• 2006: Dave Eggers, What Is the What: The Autobiography [10] I Heart Huckabees at IMDB
of Valentino Achak Deng. A novel based on the story of [11] Benjamin and his Brother.
Valentino Achak Deng, now living in the US.
• 2006: Christopher Dillon Quinn, God Grew Tired of Us,
documentary about John Dau, Akim Bunny, Daniel
External links
and Panther, now living in the US State of NGOs
Pennsylvania. • The Sudanese Education Fund, a 501(c)3 nonprofit
• 2005: Judy A. Bernstein (ed.), They Poured Fire on Us serving the South Sudanese refugee population in
From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys of Sudan. Massachusetts
The true story in their own words of the 14-year
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lost Boys of Sudan
• HELPSudan International, founded by lost boys living • Southern Sudan Health Care Organization - started
in Chicago who are determined to better by Lost Boys, Jacob Atem, and Lual Awan, to build
communities in southern Sudan by establishing clinic in Southern Sudan
schools and providing health resources and clean Photographs and articles
water • Photojournalist’s Account - Images of Sudan’s
• John Dau Sudan Foundation, a Foundation founded displaced
by Lost Boy John Dau and dedicated to transforming • Between Two Worlds: A Personal Journey,
healthcare in Southern Sudan. Photographs by Eli Reed of the Lost Boys of Sudan
• The Valentino Achak Deng Foundation • Sudanese Stories, An oral history project recording
• Alliance For The Lost Boys the migration journeys and settlement experiences
• Sudanese Lost Boys Association of Australia of southern Sudanese refugees now living in
• Gabriel’s Dream A charity dedicated to securing Blacktown, Western Sydney, Australia
education and dental care for the lost boys. • "Lost Boys find their way in Rochester", story on
• Hope for Ariang, "Lost Boy" Gabriel Bol Deng’s Lost Boys relocating to the US
project to build a primary school in the Bhar El • "Do Not Forget The Lost Girls of Sudan", Refugees
Ghazal region International, February 11, 200
• Water for Sudan - started by Lost Boy, Salva Dut, to
provide clean water to Southern Sudan
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Categories:
• Dinka people
• Lost Boys of Sudan
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