Sudan’s ‘Lost Boy’ John Dau Shares Hope

John Bul Dau, author of God Grew Tired of Us

John Bul Dau, recently named one of America's "Most Caring People," was the honored guest and speaker for Champlain College's Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) Martin Luther King Day observance in January. Dau's story, chronicled in the award-winning documentary about the Lost Boys of Sudan, God Grew Tired of Us, shared how he survived being driven from his village when the northern Arab government attacked the ethnic minority population of Southern Sudan in 1987.

During his visit to Champlain, Dau met with students at a lunch and gave an afternoon talk about the cultural shock he experienced when he arrived in Syracuse, New York in 2001.

For the keynote speech before a full house at Argosy Gym, Dau described his "Journey to Leadership" and how he turned the extreme hardship of his youth into a transformative force to change his life and the lives of others. He created the John Dau Sudan Foundation and has raised more than $700,000 to open health clinics in Southern Sudan.

Dau envisions a positive future for his home country: "I hope for my country to get out of war and secure a good government. I want Sudan to become a place where people are welcome and hope is restored."

According to Angela Batista, director of ODI, Dau's message about "focusing on the importance of perseverance against all odds" truly resonated with the students and the community.

Learn more at John Dau Foundation.