October 18, 2024
At just ten years old, Joseph Lomong made a decision no child should have to make. After losing both his parents at the age of four and being cared for by relatives, Joseph faced harsh realities. He ran away from home, fleeing domestic violence, mistreatment, and exploitation by the very people meant to protect him. “I didn’t exactly pack my bags because there were none apart from the torn shorts and shirt on my body,” Joseph says with a sad smile. “But I left and ended up on the streets of Kapoeta center. It wasn’t glamorous but more like surviving a reality show.”
Life on the streets of Kapoeta was brutal. “We ate leftover food, and dying from sickness was a normal occurrence. We slept on open verandas around shops or sometimes in schools without doors and windows, intoxicated most of the time—that was life,” Joseph recounts. A stroke of luck came when Pentecostal missionaries took him in. “I call them my lifesavers,” Joseph chuckles. “I went from dodging the dangers of the street to sitting in a classroom, which felt like a weird kind of luxury. The ache for drugs was still there, but my determination started to grow.”
Joseph’s first taste of hope came when he traveled to Juba for a Bible study exchange program. It was his first trip for something other than survival. “I went to Juba thinking, maybe I’ll come back as a preacher, or at least a guy who can read more than three Bible verses.” His connections there opened a new path that eventually brought him back to Juba for a fresh start. However, settling there was not easy. “I thought I had escaped street life,” Joseph recalls, “but there I was again, stuck with kids washing cars and selling goats to get by. I wasn’t about that life anymore, but I still had no plan—no money, no job, no idea what was next. But at least I had my dignity and, thankfully, no more drugs.”
Joseph’s turning point came when he was introduced to Orphanage Straight Link in the Gudele–Two area of Juba. He shared his ambitions with the director, unsure if anyone would take him seriously. “I walked in expecting rejection, but instead, the director listened. He saw potential, not just another street kid.” It was then that Search for Common Ground came into his life. Joseph joined the Youth-Talk project in 2021, receiving training in essential skills like conflict resolution, journalism, and psychosocial support. “I started as an awkward teenager who could barely speak up,” he laughs. “Now I’m producing radio shows, leading dialogues, and teaching others! Who knew?”
The Youth-Talk project gave him practical skills and helped him regain his confidence. “I used to be the quiet one in the room,” Joseph recalls. “Now, I run talk shows and engage with young and old experts, political leaders, and academics. I found my voice between the radio static and the studio mic.” But it wasn’t just about media and journalism. The real magic was how Search for Common Ground gave him a sense of purpose. “Being part of Search made me realize that we all have a responsibility to make the world better—whether you’re a kid from the streets or someone with a PhD, we all play a part in creating change, especially in South Sudan.”
This sense of purpose inspired Joseph to start the I Can Group, an initiative to give street children and orphans the same hope he received. “No one chooses the street,” Joseph says, his voice serious. “You end up there because of what you’ve lost—family, home, dignity. I wanted to show these kids that just because life starts on the street, it doesn’t have to end there.” What started as a group of 24 boys has grown to 35, all searching for a way out of the darkness.“ These kids are like I was—running from pain and loss. But through I Can Group, we show them that education and mentorship can light the way.”
The group currently doesn’t include girls due to concerns about their safety, but Joseph hopes to integrate them soon through a sports program. “We introduce Bible studies with Straight Link Orphanage Support and focus on sports, mainly football and volleyball, though we lack sports equipment.” Joseph’s initiatives complement the school scholarships and free shelter and food provided by Straight Link.
“The knowledge, skills, and opportunities I received through the Youth-Talk project changed my attitude, opened doors, and taught me how to collaborate with others for success—not just for me, but for the kids in my group.” Joseph adds that the CGA model—focused on perspectives, perceptions, and active listening—helped him realize the ambitions he had buried in silence.
Today, Joseph is pursuing a college degree as a first-year medical student at the University of Juba, already planning for a future where he can be more than just a doctor. “I’m going to be the doctor, the mentor, the guy who says, ‘Hey, you don’t have to stay stuck.’ Maybe I’ll even host some medical talk shows on national TV and radio to help South Sudanese live healthier lives!” he smiles.
With support from Search for Common Ground, Joseph continues to mentor, train, and inspire other young people in South Sudan. His work is about creating a ripple effect of hope and transformation. “I was given a second chance as a Youth-Talk volunteer when others were phased out,” Joseph says thoughtfully. “Now it’s my turn to give that chance to others.”
For Joseph, the goal is clear. “One day, I will create a center where these kids—orphans and street children—can call home, where they don’t just survive but thrive. I’ve lived that life. It’s time to show others the way out, too.” And with a smile, he adds, “If I can do it, they can too. After all, the group’s called ‘I Can’ for a reason.”
Search for Common Ground has been transformative in South Sudan’s conflict dynamics, fostering peaceful dialogue, empowering youth, and creating spaces for marginalized voices. Through projects like Youth-Talk, they equip young people with critical conflict resolution, media engagement skills, and psychosocial support, enabling them to become change-makers in their communities. By engaging hard-to-reach children and youth, especially those affected by conflict, poverty, and displacement, Search for Common Ground has amplified their voices and helped build sustainable pathways out of hardship. This grassroots approach to peacebuilding is creating lasting positive change across South Sudan.
