South Sudan and The World

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Patrick Oyet is the Chairperson of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS). He is an experienced journalist based in South Sudan and advocates for free speech and the rights of journalists in South Sudan. He was awarded the South Sudan Human Rights Defender of the Year in 2023 by the South Sudan Human Rights Defender Awards.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Patrick discussed his early life and upbringing, how he became a journalist, and his leadership as the Chairperson of UJOSS. Patrick shared the Union's preparation plan for journalists and the press for the 2024 South Sudan elections. 

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Nelson Kwaje is a technology and social entrepreneur, Team Leader at Scenius Hub, Chairman of the Board of Defyhate Now, and CEO of Alela Technologies. He was named one of the 100 most influential young Africans in 2020.

 Nelson discussed his life and upbringing, his passion for technology and social development, and his vision for the role of technology in South Sudan’s socio-economic development. 

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Nyajuok Tongyik is a retired Army Nurse, author, community organizer, and advocate for women's rights, girl child education, family planning, GBV, and preventable maternal deaths. She is the Founder of the I Am NyaTongyik Foundation, which provides mental health services, medical and legal aid, and scholarships to South Sudanese youth. Her book, "I Am My Mother's Wildest Dream," shares her life experiences and has made waves in South Sudanese communities worldwide. Her story resonated with South Sudan's policymakers, resulting in new laws against child marriages. Her vision is to empower young women across the world.

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Adhieu Majok is a feminist activist pursuing her second master's degree in public health at the University of Manchester (UK). She has been actively involved in various youth and peace activities in South Sudan, particularly grassroots peace initiatives in her home area of Tonj. Recently, she helped a non-profit organization called Citizens' Call-in to evacuate thousands of South Sudanese citizens from Khartoum. She works as an intern at the United Nations Office in Geneva. 

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Akol Miyen Kuol is a journalist, author, and poet from South Sudan. He is famous for using his poetry to promote peace in his country. He has worked as a Sudan and South Sudan analyst for the BBC. Akol launched the Save the Last Train campaign as part of SpiceTalks, an initiative of Spice Without Borders. The campaign has inspired artists in Juba to paint murals on walls across the capital to promote peace. He is also an activist and has called for a solution to the disputed Abyei Region. Akol is a highly respected author and has published five books, including "The Sun Will Be Rising" (2001), "The Last Train" (2003), and "A Case for the Capacity of South Sudanese to Rule Themselves" (2011).

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Meet Sarah Chan, the Manager of Africa Scouting for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. Sarah is a former professional basketball player who attended Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, on a basketball scholarship. After college, she played professionally in Spain, Portugal, Algeria, and Mozambique. Currently, Sarah travels throughout Africa recruiting talent for the Raptors. She also founded Home at Home Apadiet Foundation, a charity that advocates for women’s rights and promotes education and sports. In 2022, she was named to the BBC 100 Women's list.

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Ajak Deng Chiengkou is a journalist and writer with a background in information technology and media. He is the former Executive Producer of SBS Dinka, a popular Dinka news show on the Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) in Australia, and the Host of The Diverse Views: Voices of South Sudanese Podcast, which explores the lives of South Sudanese individuals residing in the West focusing on Australia, USA, and Canada. He has promoted South Sudanese culture and languages to the South Sudanese diaspora in Australia.

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Atem Dau Majok Ajak is the Founder of the Come Let's Read Initiative, the Founder of the Association of South Sudanese Entrepreneurs, a Host at South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, and a translator, gospel artist, and entrepreneur. 

Atem discussed his journey from college to entrepreneurship. He graduated from aviation school but failed to secure a job and was dedicated to becoming an entrepreneur. Atem started as a translator and expanded into media, moderation, and speaking. He shared r how he positively impacts South Sudan. 

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Jacob Idra is the Founder and Executive Director of ROSS Leaders. ROSS Leaders is an organization building the capacity of South Sudan youth in the United States through sports and youth empowerment. 

Jacob discussed how he works to empower young people through sports and education. He discussed building the right attitude and maintaining long-term focus as a key to success.

Jacob is a graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where he currently lives. 

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Joseph Dudi Miabok fled the war in South Sudan to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. After struggling to complete primary school, he began to excel in secondary school. He was granted admission into Harvard University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History of Science. 

Joseph shared his story and the challenges he faced while at Harvard. He also talks about how he believes science can promote socio-economic development in South Sudan—Joseph's insights about the culture shock of going to Harvard as a refugee and the social challenges. 

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On this episode of South Sudan and the World, we spoke with Elijah Jock, a nurse turned entrepreneur. He was born in South Sudan and immigrated to the United States with his grandmother when he was 12.

He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and became a nurse. After a career in nursing, he ventured into the trucking business. He currently owns a trucking business and a mechanic shop. 

We discussed how South Sudanese in the diaspora can build generation wealth and investments in the United States. He believes the diaspora must take advantage of the opportunities in the United States.

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