GUA first met Mike two years ago at Kakuma Refugee Camp in NW Kenya, where he had been living for 9 years since fleeing the civil war in South Sudan. Mike’s father, a respected tribal chief, had successfully hidden Mike and his brothers from the army officers who were seeking to recruit children as soldiers, but fighting would regularly break out all around them and entire villages were burned to the ground. At the age of 12, around the year 2000, Mike left behind his family not knowing if any of them would survive, trekking hundreds of miles in a bid to reach safety and a place where he might receive an education. Almost a year later he arrived at Kakuma and was registered at the camp’s primary school. The next time he was able to connect with his family was a snatched conversation over a radio in 2006.

When we met Mike, he had 2 years left of his secondary education but no means of paying his school fees. Fortunately we were able to find him a sponsor in the UK and he was able to leave the camp, moving into the GUA accommodation in Nairobi. He successfully completed his final exams in 2009, and while he was awaiting his results GUA took him on the long journey back to his home town of Leer, South Sudan and reunited him with his parents.(see news item) After an emotional homecoming, Mike’s father gave him his blessing to go back to Kenya to continue his education, despite the fact that as the eldest son he would traditionally stay at home to provide for the family. Remarkably, his grades were good enough to win him a place at University in Nairobi, enabling him to fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor. He has just commenced the preparatory studies on his medicine degree course, and we have until September to find the additional sponsorship required. We are seeking a number of people to contribute towards his fees over the next 4 years, and a total of £1700 a year is still required.

If you would like to help Mike achieve his dream, so that he can return home next time with a real chance of helping his community, please contact ruth@gua-africa.org