Show Lost Boys find themselves at at IJ J I i 1 I Michelle Schmitt Contributing Writer Currently there are about Lost Boys that attend Separated from froin their homes and families by bv violence the Lost Boys sh share r a a unique bond ond sealed by bya a shared history Augus Augustino ino Koul is one of those students at he fled to Ethiopia in early 1987 at 7 years old Koul is the current president of the Lost Boys in Utah We arc are such a unique part of Sudan When we were in school in Ethiopia we had no school supply No Food Still go to school said Koul Education is the number one thing They will viII go without food because they know education is power said Cindy Clark Academic Advisor Clark headed the Sudanese Student Association at from the time the refugees arrived arr ved on campus in 2003 Because cattle was their main source of survival inthe in inthe inthe the Sudan according to Clark boys as young as 4 years old were sent to herd cattle Their parents told old them if they see the rebels to run because the rebels force them to be in the military According to Clark there were up to Lost Boys running from the rebels a number reduced to as many died in the bush and rebel by-rebel bullets Clark said the boys ate sticks and mud for survival as they headed to the Ethiopian border The Lost Boys stick together they're each others family said ClarkI Clark I went to school in Kindergarten in Sudan said Koul He also attended some school in Kenya At age aoe 11 I was in the I ml military 1 in Sudan People of Liberation Liberati n Army Movement said Koul America saw this and said this is child abuse said Koul According to Koul Foul Koul the wait In in the refugee I e camp to come to America was wasa a process lasting over ver two years I I II I have seen i refugee camps with almost 1000 refugees Everything was not enough Tie UN brought food it wasn't enough Sometimes three- three four days without food said Koul Koul arrived in Salt Lake City in 2001 I. I You feel like you just got dropped in the middle of a forest and dont don't know where to go said Koul According to Koul the Catholic community assisted in living expenses for refugees for the first three months They also sent the Lost Boys to have their education levels assessed I Koul took the GED and passed the test According to Koul he has been attending off and on for five years This is his last semester at after which he will pursue further education in Agriculture Africans are very willed strong-willed determined for whatever they believe They're survivors And they're happy They're so so grateful for what they have If they made it it out Pout here they're the brightest the best said Clark Koul speaks languages c. c According to Clark some Lost Boys speak up to languages I need to learn leam new material I told them I am going to college said Koul 1 |