John Dau Sudan Foundation
Encyclopedia
The John Dau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was established in July 2007 to develop health facilities that currently do not exist for most of the populations of Duk, Twic East and Bor South Counties in the State of Jonglei in South Sudan
. Its mission is to "transform healthcare in South Sudan." Currently, the organization’s primary focus is on funding and overseeing the Duk Lost Boys Clinic. The Duk Lost Boys Clinic specializes in the treatment of diseases such as guinea-worm, malaria
, chicken pox, diarrhea
, malnourishment, bilharzias, h-worm, kalazar; the immunization of other diseases; and the provision of maternity services. The Foundation is headquartered in Syracuse
, New York
.
is the founder and president of the John Dau Foundation. Dau is a survivor of the civil war in South Sudan and part of the exodus of the Lost Boys of Sudan
who were forced to flee their families and homeland. Dau was featured in the award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us
in 2006 which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival
.
, Director of the Public Affairs Department at Syracuse University
. The organization’s Board of Advisors is made up of 15 members and includes Lopez Lomong
, the Sudanese-born track and field athlete who carried the U.S. flag in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He announced his support for JDF in September 2008 and shortly thereafter became a member of the organization’s Board of Advisors.
and Angelina Jolie
(the Jolie-Pitt Foundation) in 2006; $50,000 by the Allyn Family of Welch Allyn
in 2006; $25,000 by Volvo
in 2008; and $100,000 by United Technologies Corporation
in 2008.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. Its mission is to "transform healthcare in South Sudan." Currently, the organization’s primary focus is on funding and overseeing the Duk Lost Boys Clinic. The Duk Lost Boys Clinic specializes in the treatment of diseases such as guinea-worm, malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, chicken pox, diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, malnourishment, bilharzias, h-worm, kalazar; the immunization of other diseases; and the provision of maternity services. The Foundation is headquartered in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
John Dau
John DauJohn Dau
John Dau, also known as Dhieu-Deng Leek, is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan who was featured in the 2006 award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us. Today, he is a father himself and a human rights activist for the people of South Sudan...
is the founder and president of the John Dau Foundation. Dau is a survivor of the civil war in South Sudan and part of the exodus of the Lost Boys of Sudan
Lost Boys of Sudan
The Lost Boys of Sudan is the name given to the groups of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War , about 2.5 million killed and millions were displaced...
who were forced to flee their families and homeland. Dau was featured in the award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us
God Grew Tired of Us is a 2006 documentary film about three of the "Lost Boys of Sudan", a group of some 25,000 young men who have fled the wars in Sudan since the 1980s, and their experiences as they move to the United States. The film was written and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn...
in 2006 which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
.
Governance
The John Dau Foundation is governed by a ten member Board of Directors that is headed by Bill CoplinBill Coplin
William D. Coplin is a professor and the director of the undergraduate public affairs program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University...
, Director of the Public Affairs Department at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. The organization’s Board of Advisors is made up of 15 members and includes Lopez Lomong
Lopez Lomong
Lopez Lomong is a South Sudanese-born American track and field athlete. Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, came to the United States at the age of 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2007...
, the Sudanese-born track and field athlete who carried the U.S. flag in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He announced his support for JDF in September 2008 and shortly thereafter became a member of the organization’s Board of Advisors.
Board of Directors
- Bill CoplinBill CoplinWilliam D. Coplin is a professor and the director of the undergraduate public affairs program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University...
(Chairman) - Bill Allyn
- Barbara Connor, M.D.
- Don Cross
- Jack Howard (Treasurer)
- Craig Lindsey (Secretary)
- Gardner McLean
- David Reed, M.D.
- Chris Royce
- Valerie Staats
- Valeire Admokaoh
Board of Advisors
- Arthur C. BrooksArthur C. BrooksArthur C. Brooks is an American social scientist and musician. He is the president of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. Brooks is best known for his work on the junctions between culture, economics, and politics...
(Fundraising Advisor) - Jack Capron (Legal and Tax Advisor)
- John Covell, M.D. (Medical Advisor)
- Daniel Friedman (Medical Advisor)
- Gordon Hayward (Fundraising Advisor)
- Ann Higbee (Public Relations Advisor)
- Ted Kinder (Operations Advisor)
- Frank Lazarski (Non-Profit Organization Advisor)
- Lopez LomongLopez LomongLopez Lomong is a South Sudanese-born American track and field athlete. Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, came to the United States at the age of 16 and became a U.S. citizen in 2007...
(Outreach Advisor) - Kathryn E. Lee (Public Relations Advisor)
- Marcio Malogolowkin (International Health Advisor)
- Paul Murray (Fundraising Advisor)
- Ginny Stehle (Operations Advisor)
- Jim Vedder (Operations Advisor)
- Chuck Williams (Operations Advisor)
Ties to the government of South Sudan
John Dau has strong ties to local governmental officials in South Sudan. His uncle, Philip Thon Leek, who was a governor of the State of Jongeli and is now a Minister of Transport in the Government of National Unity, has been instrumental in providing contacts and support from the natives, Tribal Chiefs and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movements and its Health Ministry. The Foundation has received a commitment from the local government to provide support by the end of 2009 for the existing clinic. Although there is no guarantee that this will happen due to the government of South Sudan's financial constraint, it represents a viable strategy that will require less outside support to sustain what has been developed.American Care for Sudan Foundation
In June 2008, the American Care for Sudan Foundation (ACSF) announced that it would merge with JDF as its operational wing. ACSF was formed initially under the leadership of John Dau and the dedication and hard work of a group of members of the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles to build the Duk Lost Boys Clinic in Duk Payuel, South Sudan in early 2007.Notable contributions
Notable contributions to the Duk Lost Boys Clinic and John Dau Foundation include $100,000 donated by Brad PittBrad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
and Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
(the Jolie-Pitt Foundation) in 2006; $50,000 by the Allyn Family of Welch Allyn
Welch Allyn
Welch Allyn, Inc. was founded in 1915 and is a manufacturer of medical diagnostic devices, patient monitoring systems, and miniature precision lamps...
in 2006; $25,000 by Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
in 2008; and $100,000 by United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corporation is an American multinational conglomerate headquartered in the United Technologies Building in Hartford, Connecticut...
in 2008.