During a presentation held last year at Granite Bay High School, Deng Jongkuch, the “Lost Boy of Sudan,” touched the hearts of many students with his amazing story of triumph over overwhelming odds.

   The “Lost Boys of Sudan” is a group of African refugees that currently live Kakuma, a camp in Ethiopia. Their story begins when their Christian, southern Sudanese villages were rampaged by the Muslims of the north.

   Among burning huts and the cries of loved ones, five-year-old Jongkuch and the rest of the boys, most of whom were younger than 10-years-old, fled their villages and began what ultimately became a 2000 mile trek across the African savannah.

   Without food, shelter and adult supervision, around half of the original 26,000 boys died.

   Fortunately Jongkuch survived, and after a series of interviews and several years in a refugee camp in Ethiopia, he was chosen to immigrate to the U.S. in 2001.

   At age 18, Jongkuch arrived in San Jose, found a job at Pottery Barn and attended the local community college. Later, he transferred to California State University San Jose where he majored in Health Sciences.

   In 2005, a peace treaty ended the war in Sudan, and Jongkuch traveled back to his native village in southern Sudan to reunite with his parents and siblings after over 18 years of separation.

   Although Jongkuch was excited to reconnect with his family, he returned to the U.S. to complete his education and earn money to support himself and his family.

   Jongkuch attributes much of his success in the U.S. to his education.  During his time spent in his village, he saw children attending school without the benefits of buildings or books.  Jongkuch decided that he wanted to give the village children the chance to live a better life through education.

   Deng returned to San Jose and raised enough money to accomplish his first project. He purchased and installed a grinding machine, which allowed the girls, who traditionally spent their days grinding grain, to attend school. 

   With some help from volunteers such as GBHS parent Lisa Wade, Jongkuch created Impact-a-Village, a non-profit organization that serves to improve the lives of the people in villages around the world.  

   Over the past two years, Impact-a-Village has provided uniforms and medicine to Jongkuch’s village.  This year, a mission was sent to Sudan to build a primary school where children could receive an education.

      As was expected, there were unique challenges with working in a foreign and undeveloped country.

“The lack of infrastructure in Sudan (was one of the biggest obstacles),” said Lisa Wade, the President of Impact-a-Village.

   Time was also a factor in the coordination of the project. “Building the school started in June, and Deng had to return to the U.S. in August because he only had a 90-day visa for Sudan,” Wade said. But the show had to go on, with or without it’s star performer.

   The construction has already started and the building is expected to be complete in September.

   All of the villagers contributed, even the children. “Every brick used for the school was (made by) a kid from that village,” Wade said. 

   Impact-a-Village is not only making a difference in villages in Sudan, but it is also making an impact in the local Granite Bay community.

   “IB students were able to have a relationship with Deng and meet someone from a different place with a different story to tell,” GBHS teacher and Impact-a-Village board member K.C.Wachs said. “It has made them culturally aware people.”

   Although Deng has undergone incredible hardship and adversity, he is thankful that he is able to share his story with students and  encourage them to lend a helping hand to those in need.