Salva Dut, founder of Water for South Sudan, shares his poignant journey from being a 'lost boy' separated from his family during the civil war to becoming a beacon of hope for his community. He recounts the emotional reunion with his father and how it inspired him to fight against waterborne diseases. Dut discusses the challenges of drilling for clean water in South Sudan and the transformative effects it has on local communities while emphasizing resilience and the importance of family connections in times of conflict.
Salva Dut's emotional reunion with his father highlights the enduring importance of family connections in overcoming personal hardships.
Inspired by his father's struggle with waterborne disease, Salva established Water for South Sudan, addressing critical clean water access challenges in his homeland.
Deep dives
A Life-Changing Letter
At 27, Salva Dut receives a crucial letter revealing that his father is alive, prompting an emotional return to Sudan after years of separation due to war. This news spurs Salva into action, from expediting his passport to securing contributions for his travel expenses. Despite the initial ease of flying to Nairobi, reaching his father is fraught with challenges, including navigating areas still ravaged by conflict. Salva exemplifies determination as he underscores his urgency to reunite before risking the chance of losing his father again.
The Emotional Reunion
Upon finally reaching his father in a hidden clinic, the moment is filled with mixed emotions and joy, as they embrace after many years apart. Salva shares the profound moment of recognition and bonding with his father and half-sister, who has never seen him before. Their shared memories and experiences unfold over a couple of weeks, where Salva learns the fate of his family and the community after the civil war. This reunion reflects not only a personal connection but also the resilience and hope that family represents amidst adversities.
A Mission to Provide Clean Water
After witnessing his father's health struggles due to a waterborne disease, Salva is inspired to tackle the issue of clean water access in South Sudan. He returns to the U.S. with a renewed purpose, establishing a nonprofit organization to dig boreholes and provide clean drinking water. The logistical challenges are immense, but Salva successfully drills over 600 wells, impacting the lives of approximately 100,000 people. His journey underscores a commitment to his community, blending his personal story of survival with a larger mission of transformation and support for South Sudanese people.
At the age of 11 in 1985, Salva Dut was separated from his family by the Sudanese civil war. After a decade moving between different refugee camps, and presumed an orphan, Salva was recommended for resettlement in the United States as part of a UN-backed programme to support some 4,000 so-called 'lost boys' who'd been displaced by conflict. Salva settled with a host family in Rochester, New York. But when he was in his late 20s, he found out that his father was in fact still alive. Salva travelled back to Sudan to find him. His father was in a clinic and sick with a waterborne disease. Salva decided to try to bring clean water to his home village. A few years later, he established an NGO, Water for South Sudan, and he returned to his birthplace to drill his first well.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Jo Impey
Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784
(Photo: Salva Dut drilling for water; Credit: Water for South Sudan, Inc)
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