Story of Hope: Madut

Madut lost his father at a young age during the South Sudan liberation struggle, before he could fully understand the concept of loss.

The war not only brought pain but also forced them to leave home with only a small bag and fading photographs. They eventually found refuge at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. There was safety, but no certainty.

RESILIENCE PAYS

Life at the camp was characterized by food rations, long lines, and classrooms where textbooks were shared, making it a constant struggle between hope and survival.

Yet, Madut refused to let his circumstances dictate his life. He studied by candlelight, copied notes from classmates, walked miles to school, and held onto one conviction: education was the one thing that war could never take away.

When the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed, Madut finally returned to his homeland to pursue his education at the University of Juba. Life remained challenging; his mother, an elementary school teacher, could not afford to support him. Just when he thought about giving up on his dreams, the Undying Hope Organization offered him a scholarship that helped him reach his goal.

Years later, the boy who once stood in line for food at Kakuma walked across the graduation stage as a medical graduate in December 2025. Today, he gives back to the land that once felt so uncertain, serving as a medical intern at Juba Teaching Hospital.

“Your open hands have saved me from dropping out of the university due to tuition fees constraints. With this scholarship, I shall be able to graduate and serve the vulnerable people especially our mothers and children who are yearning for more qualified medical personnel in the hospitals.”