Daniel Kuir Ajak
Daniel has been a refugee most of his life. As a child, he was forced to flee alone through the African bush to Ethiopia. The infamous Janjaweed from Northern Sudan burned his entire village and threatened to kill all males.
He lived in the Kaukuma refugee camp in Northern Kenya, where he went to school and learned English.
During a brief period of relative peace, he lived in Juba, South Sudan. In 2013, he sought safety in Uganda.
Daniel became the main community leader and organizer of South Sudan Leadership and Community Development in the Mungula and Olua refugee settlements in 2016.
He currently lives in Mungula refugee settlement in Uganda.
Photo: Daniel giving a tour of a house he built in Mungula.
Pastor Simon Garang Mark
Pastor Simon began working for SSLCD in 2016. He is SSLCD”s professional community developer and also a pastor of a local church.
He has spent most of his life as a war refugee.
Pastor Simon fled war in Sudan at a very young age, in 1986. He lived as a refugee in Ethiopia for four years before fleeing to Kenya due to political instability. In 2005, He was able to return to South Sudan and began rebuilding his life there.
Simon left South Sudan to settle in Olua (refugee settlement in Uganda) in 2012, so that his children could attend Ugandan schools.
Pastor Simon’s current work with SSLCD includes creating a culture of peace building and developing and facilitating the efforts of SSLCD’s current projects, including the gardening and cattle cooperatives. He also provides trauma healing counseling and assists in supportive efforts for pregnant women and COVID19 prevention.
Pastor Simon enjoys spending time with others, and hearing their stories. He often visits those in need in his community.
Jacob Ajak Lual
Jacob began working for SSLCD in 2016. He is SSLCD”s professional community developer. He began his professional organizing career on the staff of Lutheran World Federation in Jonglei State, South Sudan.
Jacob fled Sudan in 1987. He lived as a refugee in Ethiopia and Kenya. In 2005, he returned to South Sudan where he remained until 2013, when civil war broke out in Sudan. He fled to Uganda for safety in 2014 where he settled in Mungula refugee settlement.
Jacob’s current work with SSLCD includes creating a culture of peace building and developing and facilitating the efforts of SSLCD’s current projects, including the gardening and cattle cooperatives. He also provides trauma healing counseling and assists in supportive efforts for pregnant women and COVID19 prevention.
Jacob enjoys spending time with others and listening to their stories, especially the elderly in the community.
Photo: Jacob in his home where a runs a solar powered cell phone charging station for community members