John Dau

“The weather may be cold in Syracuse, but the people are warm.”

While walking hundreds of miles from his war-torn village in South Sudan to a refugee camp in Kenya, John thought of lessons he had learned while reading the Bible. “One can’t be held hostage by what happens,” he said. “You must know that you are not alone. Everyone goes through hardships. If you give up, you will miss what is to come.”

For John, that would have meant missing out on many great accomplishments. With On Point for College’s support, he is the first in his family to earn a college degree, and eventually earned a master’s degree in public policy from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. John achieved national fame when his story was featured in the book and Sundance Award-winning movie “God Grew Tired of Us,” and he now leads four nonprofit foundations, including The John Dau Foundation, which develops health clinics in South Sudan, and the South Sudan Institute for Education, Culture and Recognition.

John believes that because he was helped by God, his mission in life is to help those who can’t help themselves. Since 2011, 600 formerly blind people in South Sudan have had their cataracts removed and can now see – because of John’s work on their behalf.

John is thankful to On Point and the American people who have helped with his mission. “People are so generous and willing to give even though they may not get anything in return.”