Support Deng's dream to become Dr. Deng!

I first met the remarkable Deng Akuei as a kid in the small rural community of Gordhim in South Sudan just after the war ended.

Deng was sweet, hopeful, and bright as heck - and there was no way civil war, poverty, famine, disease and crumbling infrastructure were going to stop him from pursuing his dream to become a gynecologist and obstetrician to serve the people of South Sudan.

That winter back in 2007, I hung out with Deng and another kiddo who went on to join the army as a tween so he and his orphaned siblings could eat. Samuel died in war at 15, the nuns later told me.

But despite losing his parents young, Deng managed to finish high school and go on to university where he gained a diploma in Clinical Medicine and Public Health at the Juba Institute of Health Sciences.

“I thank God who protects me up to date and for everything,” Deng told me. “All this gives me a heart of helping others through what I learnt.”

The institute was launched by the extraordinary Dr. Isaac Ayii Ayii who trained Deng and describes him as a committed student with a passion in the field of medicine and a future full of promise.

In a country where 1,223 out of 100,000 girls and women die in uncomplicated deliveries, infant mortality is 63.8 in 1,000 births, and less than 40 per cent of the population has access to health services, Ayii said supporting aspiring doctors like Deng is crucial.

“For Deng to be where he is as a clinical officer through thick and thin, as our student at the Juba Institute of Health Sciences, he had been hustling as a boda boda driver (scooter taxi) to generate his tuition fees and other requirements to realize his dream of being a doctor,” Ayii said.

“He is now practicing as a clinical officer with dedication and passion in the field of medicine. Therefore investing in him is investing in the health of our people in South Sudan.”

If you are looking for a good cause, I humbly ask you to consider supporting Deng’s dream. Your donation will go 100% towards Deng’s tuition and other school fees and living expenses, but it’s also an investment that will touch countless lives.

“I want to generate money after all my studies and embark on assisting the people in whatever possible ways particularly health, education and shelter,” Deng said.

With love,

Andrea