The Journey
of the Lost Boys,
A Story of
Courage, Faith
and the
Sheer Determination
to Survive
by a Group
of Young Boys Called
"The Lost Boys of Sudan"
by Joan Hecht

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The Lost Boys

Professor John Trifiletti, Alliance Director of Grants and Scholarships, pictured with FCCJ graduates John Kot, Kuek Biar, Jacob Dau, Ajak Malualdit, May 3, 2008

Abraham Chol Kuany receives his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of North Florida, May 2, 2008

Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan has selected Andrew Abui as the "2008 Delores and Wayne Weaver Foundation /Alliance Scholarship Recipient." Andrew had a 4.0 GPA. Congratulations Andrew and thank you so much, Delores and Wayne Weaver!

Local Lost Boys John Kuai(National Honor Society) and Peter Miabok graduate from Florida Community College Jacksonville

Alliance Volunteer Ray Storms (L), Alliance Director of Education Brian Polding (center) and Director of Grants and scholarships, Dr. John Trifiletti (right), help local Lost Boys fill out scholarship applications

The majority of the Lost Boys did not begin their education until reaching the refugee camps in Ethiopia. However, the training they received there was minimal. It was not until they reached the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, some six years later, that they actually began attending classes on a regular basis.

School in Kakuma Refugee Camp

photography by Ryan Spencer Reed

Initially, those classes were held outdoors, as no adequate buildings were available. The boys simply gathered under shady trees, where they viewed their lessons from small mobile chalkboards while sitting on the hard and dusty ground, as no chairs were available. Some of their teachers were qualified instructors, but others were simply elders who had been selected from within the adult population of the camp. Pencils and paper were supplied by numerous government agencies, but were available in limited quantities. Later, large, mud buildings were built that served as schools, but they still left much to be desired.

Due to the lack of electricity, there was no air conditioning or fans within the classroom, and the boys were subjected to extremely hot temperatures. The open-air windows built within the mud walls of the school allowed in a steady breeze of red dust, often covering their papers and bodies and irritating their eyes. But still they were determined to receive an education. Many of the boys, now orphans, adopted a slogan while living in the camps saying that “An education is my only mother and father.”