Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan

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The Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer foundation in Jacksonville, Florida, established in 2004, to meet the health and educational needs of Lost Boys and their siblings living in Africa and the United States.

Contents

History

The alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan was founded in 2004 by Joan Hecht. [1]

Description

The Alliance also provides humanitarian aid in Southern Sudan to include the construction of X-ray clinics and medicine for local hospitals, the drilling of eight water wells to provide clean water for rural villagers, houses and beds for children in Sudanese orphanages, funds to aid in the construction of schools and school supplies for students, goat programs for women at risk, distribution of solar lights to rural villagers and various other projects.

In addition to their humanitarian efforts in Southern Sudan, the Alliance has assisted over sixty five Lost Boys and US South Sudanese with college tuition and books and has provided medical assistance to over 100 Lost Boys and girls living in Jacksonville, Fl.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinka people</span> Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan

The Dinka people are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Mangalla-Bor to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and the Abyei Area of the Ngok Dinka in South Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Sudanese Civil War</span> Conflict from 1983 to 2005 for South Sudanese independence

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Lifeline Sudan</span>

Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) was a consortium of United Nations agencies and approximately 35 non-governmental organizations operating in southern Sudan to provide humanitarian assistance throughout war-torn and drought-afflicted regions in the South. Operation Lifeline Sudan was established in April 1989 in response to a devastating war-induced famine and other humanitarian consequences of the Second Sudanese Civil War between the Sudanese government and South Sudanese rebels. It was the result of negotiations between the UN, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) to deliver humanitarian assistance to all civilians in need, regardless of their location or political affiliation. This included over 100,000 returnees from Itang in Ethiopia in 1991. Lokichogio was the primary forward operations hub for OLS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Boys of Sudan</span> Group of refugees from southern Sudan

The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the conflict. The term was used by healthcare workers in the refugee camps and may have been derived from the children's story of Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. The term was also extended to refer to children who fled the post-independence violence in South Sudan in 2011–2013.

<i>The Journey of the Lost Boys</i>

The Journey of the Lost Boys (2005) is a non-fiction book by Joan Hecht about The Lost Boys of Sudan. "The Lost Boys" are a group of young children who became separated from their parents due to civil war in their homeland. With little food and water and no protection from wild animals and enemy soldiers that stalked them night and day, these children banded together walking over a thousand miles across the wilds of Africa in search of safe refuge.

Joan Hecht is an American humanitarian and award winning author of the book The Journey of the Lost Boys. She is also the founder and President of the 501 c-3 non-profit Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, an organization that assists with the health and educational needs of Lost Boys and their families living in the United States and Africa. Hecht formerly traveled as a back-up singer for The Johnny Van Zant Band and began recording professionally at age 14. However, she is best known for her work related to the Lost Boys of Sudan, including engaging in public speaking on their behalf and that of the people of South Sudan, as well as writing an award winning book about them titled, "The Journey of the Lost Boys".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sudan–United Kingdom relations</span> Bilateral relations

Sudan–United Kingdom relations are foreign relations between Sudan and the United Kingdom. Sudan has an embassy in London whilst the United Kingdom has an embassy in Khartoum. Most of the recent relations between the two countries centre on the region of Darfur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norway–Sudan relations</span> Bilateral relations

Norway – Sudan relations are international relations between Norway and Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States aid to Sudan</span>

United States aid to Sudan has three key objectives: a definitive end to conflict, gross human rights abuses, and genocide in Darfur; implementation of the north–south Comprehensive Peace Agreement that results in a peaceful post-2011 Sudan, or an orderly path toward two separate and viable states at peace with each other; and ensuring that Sudan does not provide a safe haven for international terrorists. Sudan has experienced two civil wars since 1955, the second of which lasted 22 years. During this time, the U.S. was the largest provider of foreign aid to Sudan, largely focused on humanitarian aid through the U.S. Agency for International Development. Sudan is listed as the U.S. government's highest priority in Africa due to "its importance for counter-terrorism and regional stability, as well as the magnitude of human rights and humanitarian abuses" U.S. foreign aid to Sudan has begun to see some positive indicators of performance although critical reaction has said that aid to Sudan is neither strategic nor focused.

Sudanese refugees are persons originating from the country of Sudan, but seeking refuge outside the borders of their native country. In recent history, Sudan has been the stage for prolonged conflicts and civil wars, as well as environmental changes, namely desertification. These forces have resulted not only in violence and famine but also the forced migration of large numbers of the Sudanese population, both inside and outside the country's borders. Given the expansive geographic territory of Sudan, and the regional and ethnic tensions and conflicts, much of the forced migration in Sudan has been internal. Yet, these populations are not immune to similar issues that typically accompany refugeedom, including economic hardship and providing themselves and their families with sustenance and basic needs. With the creation of a South Sudanese state, questions surrounding southern Sudanese IDPs may become questions of South Sudanese refugees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Sudan</span> Country in East Africa

South Sudan, officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a country in East Africa which is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya including the vast swamp region of the Sudd, formed by the White Nile and known locally as the Bahr al Jabal, meaning "Mountain Sea". It is a landlocked country. The population is nearly 12.7 million people in 2024, and Juba is the capital and largest city. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011, making it the most recent sovereign state with widespread recognition as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Sudan–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

South Sudan–United States relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of South Sudan and the United States of America.

South Sudanese Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of South Sudanese ancestry, or South Sudanese people who have American citizenship. South Sudanese Americans can include American descendants to South Sudanese ancestors or South Sudanese immigrants who obtained an American citizenship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qatar–Sudan relations</span> Bilateral relations

Qatar–Sudan relations are the bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of the Sudan. Relations were first established in 1972, when Qatar inaugurated its embassy in Sudan's capital city, Khartoum. Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

References

  1. Joan Hecht (29 November 2012). "Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan: A Conversation with Joan Hecht". Sharnoff's Global Views. Retrieved 5 August 2019.