A WMU student travels to Southern Sudan, an area with 75,000 people and virtually no medical resources, on his own funds, and stays for two months out of the year to work as a public health educator. He meets with small groups of villagers under a tree or hut to teach them better health practices and provide simple health care. He distributes over-the-counter medications, mosquito nets, water filters, and other similar supplies. In addition to having no medical resources, there is a severe shortage of clean water. He has done this for three years in a row.
In 2006, Sudan native Daniel Kuol became an American citizen. He was a ‘Lost Boy’ of Sudan, displaced from his home and family by civil war. Today he is a WMU student majoring in Interdisciplinary Health Services and minoring in Social Work and Pre-Nursing. He works at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing as a trained patient care technician. Daniel has already received certification as a pharmacy technician.
But perhaps the most interesting thing about Daniel is that he is the founder of SSALMO (Southern Sudan Aliab Medical Organization), a 501 (c)(3) Non-profit. It provides the only medical care to the people of the Aliab area. Daniel teaches them about the importance of drinking clean water; gives mosquito nets to those who are vulnerable to malaria; and raises awareness about proper hygiene and sanitation, among others.
Daniel’s journey to the U.S. was long and difficult, spanning more than a decade and containing tales unknown to most Americans. Walking thousands of miles through hot desert, crossing crocodile infested rivers, retreating into jungles to hide from soldiers, exposure to wild animals, snakes, insects (the refugees were most often barefoot), and separation from his entire family. Daniel, among thousands of others, sometimes went for days without food and water. As most of this was occurring, Daniel was just a young child.
When he arrived in the United States, he had to assimilate in many ways, including tasks like learning how to use running water, or how to sleep on bed with a blanket and pillow. (Daniel’s complete story can be found below).
Daniel founded SSALMO to fulfill his dream of going back to Sudan to help his people— and gives everything he has to improve the health and living conditions around them— but most importantly, to establish a permanent medical clinic in the Aliab area.
To learn more about Daniel’s outstanding story, or to learn more about SSALMO, please follow the links below:
LINK: SOUTHERN SUDAN ALIAB MEDICAL ORGANIZATION
LINK: DANIEL’S STORY