Jacob Deng's Story: Life-Altering Horrors in a Refugee camp
Audio
Image
Video
Audio
Activities
LOOK
Carefully read the transcript and focus on Jacob’s description of his experiences. How does he describe the physical and emotional challenges he faced during his trek?
THINK
What do you think are some of the benefits and drawbacks of living in a refugee camp?
DO
Develop a group presentation on the importance of education in refugee camps, using Jacob’s story as an example of how education can transform lives.
Details
Date 2003
Materials - Audio file
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
- Jacob tells of terrible conditions in the camp, and the vulnerability of children forced to live there.
- It would be helpful to have some knowledge of Sudanese history during the 1980s and 1990s, along with Canada’s role in helping Sudanese refugees.
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Seven-year-old Jacob Deng fled South Sudan after government-supported troops destroyed his village. Looking back as an adult, Jacob recalls the dangerous conditions he faced as a child refugee in Ethiopia and Kenya.
He describes the harsh conditions and abuse he and others faced in the camps. Jacob’s firsthand account gives us insights into the precarious lives of refugee children, who are dependent on the goodwill of others.
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Refugee camps may provide food and shelter, but they are often harsh and hopeless places.
Jacob — a member of the Dinka tribe — was born in Duk Padiet, Sudan (now South Sudan). After his village was ravaged by government-supported insurgents in 1989, during the Second Sudanese Civil War, 7-year-old Jacob fled on foot, making the three-month trek to a refugee camp in Ethiopia.
In 1991, Jacob made his way to another refugee camp, in Kakuma, Kenya. The new camp lacked both food and water, and life there was very hard. Eventually Jacob met a Canadian diplomat who helped facilitate his refugee application to Canada.
Jacob arrived in Canada in 2002, with his wife Jenty. They settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Jacob completed a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University.
- In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
- Jacob tells of terrible conditions in the camp, and the vulnerability of children forced to live there.
- It would be helpful to have some knowledge of Sudanese history during the 1980s and 1990s, along with Canada’s role in helping Sudanese refugees.
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Seven-year-old Jacob Deng fled South Sudan after government-supported troops destroyed his village. Looking back as an adult, Jacob recalls the dangerous conditions he faced as a child refugee in Ethiopia and Kenya.
He describes the harsh conditions and abuse he and others faced in the camps. Jacob’s firsthand account gives us insights into the precarious lives of refugee children, who are dependent on the goodwill of others.
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Refugee camps may provide food and shelter, but they are often harsh and hopeless places.
Jacob — a member of the Dinka tribe — was born in Duk Padiet, Sudan (now South Sudan). After his village was ravaged by government-supported insurgents in 1989, during the Second Sudanese Civil War, 7-year-old Jacob fled on foot, making the three-month trek to a refugee camp in Ethiopia.
In 1991, Jacob made his way to another refugee camp, in Kakuma, Kenya. The new camp lacked both food and water, and life there was very hard. Eventually Jacob met a Canadian diplomat who helped facilitate his refugee application to Canada.
Jacob arrived in Canada in 2002, with his wife Jenty. They settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Jacob completed a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University.
Summary
- In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
- Jacob tells of terrible conditions in the camp, and the vulnerability of children forced to live there.
- It would be helpful to have some knowledge of Sudanese history during the 1980s and 1990s, along with Canada’s role in helping Sudanese refugees.
Essential
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Seven-year-old Jacob Deng fled South Sudan after government-supported troops destroyed his village. Looking back as an adult, Jacob recalls the dangerous conditions he faced as a child refugee in Ethiopia and Kenya.
He describes the harsh conditions and abuse he and others faced in the camps. Jacob’s firsthand account gives us insights into the precarious lives of refugee children, who are dependent on the goodwill of others.
In-Depth
In this audio interview, Jacob Deng describes being a child refugee from South Sudan.
Refugee camps may provide food and shelter, but they are often harsh and hopeless places.
Jacob — a member of the Dinka tribe — was born in Duk Padiet, Sudan (now South Sudan). After his village was ravaged by government-supported insurgents in 1989, during the Second Sudanese Civil War, 7-year-old Jacob fled on foot, making the three-month trek to a refugee camp in Ethiopia.
In 1991, Jacob made his way to another refugee camp, in Kakuma, Kenya. The new camp lacked both food and water, and life there was very hard. Eventually Jacob met a Canadian diplomat who helped facilitate his refugee application to Canada.
Jacob arrived in Canada in 2002, with his wife Jenty. They settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Jacob completed a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University.