CGC1D
Lost Boys of Sudan Short Essay Assignment
The students will watch the Documentary; God Grew Tired of Us, about the lives of the
“Lost Boys of Sudan”. They will take notes on the key points in the Lost Boy’s journey
as well as notes on the life lessons we could learn from them as people.
Instructions:
Your Essay will have 6 paragraphs and will be no longer than 2 pages, single spaced with
size 12 font. The essay must include a descriptive title and a picture that is labeled with a
caption below.
Paragraph # 1: Introductory Paragraph
Paragraph # 2: The Walking Journey Out of Sudan (facts)
Paragraph # 3: Life in the Kakuma Refugee Camp (facts)
Paragraph # 4: Transition to Life in North America (facts)
Paragraph # 5: Three – Five Important Life Lesson Learned from the Lost Boys (more of
a personal opinion and reflection)
Paragraph # 6: Concluding Paragraph
Checklist for your Good Copy:
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Title should be centered in bold, size 14 font and underlined
Your name should appear on the page somewhere
Indent the first line of your paragraph and type in regular size 12 font
Insert a centered picture below your title or after your last paragraph
Write a label below your picture to briefly explain it
Evaluation:
Descriptive Title
Introductory Paragraph (intro sentence, set up sentences, concluding sentence)
The Walking Journey Paragraph (intro sentence, min. 5 content sentences, concluding sentence)
Kakuma Life Paragraph (intro sentence, min. 5 content sentences, concluding sentence)
Transition to N.A. Paragraph (intro sentence, min. 5 content sentences, concluding sentence)
Life Lessons Paragraph (intro sentence, min. 6 content sentences, concluding sentence)
Introductory Paragraph (intro sentence, conclusion sentences, concluding sentence)
Appropriate Labeled Picture
Spelling and Grammar
Total
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/3
/5
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Lost Boys of Sudan: From the Movie – God Grew Tired of Us
The Facts Concerning Their 20+ Year Journey
The 5 Year Journey: (1987 – 1992)
 Civil War in Sudan – North Sudan (muslim, majority of government) vs
South Sudan (animist and Christian)
 Men (14 +) were fighting in militias (south)
 Women and girls and babies – surviving best they can in villages or roaming
the land
 1987 “Lost Boys” 4 – 13 yrs old running and walking away from their
villages to avoid the government troops
 If the Lost Boys were found: killed, sterilized
 27 000 Lost Boys began the journey
 Conditions Bad: starvation, dehydration, disease, shot at by military, eaten
by lions, crocodiles, hyenas, died in the thousands and had to be buried.
Eating mud, drink urine.
 Walked 400 miles to Ethiopia where they stayed at a Refugee Camp for 3
years (1988 – 1991)
 1991 Ethiopia began their own civil war and the refugee camp was shut
down, the Lost Boys had to walk back into Sudan (200 miles)– stayed for 1 yr
in Sudan then had to flee to the south.
 Walked 400 miles to Kenya – Kakuma Refugee Camp (1992)
 12 000 Lost Boys were left after 1000 mile / 1600 km total walking journey
The Kakuma Refugee Camp (1992 – 2002 when filming began)
 boredom
 basic education (English, math, science)
 Food Rations (not enough food), Had to cook own food
 Passed the time by talking, singing, dancing, playing chess – entertained
themselves (The White House)
New Life in the USA: (2002  )
 People not very friendly in USA
 Hard to learn new household tasks –cooking, using electricity, showers
 Had to learn how to go shopping and use money
 Freedom and opportunity
 Stress was hard on them: new jobs, no family, war images (Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder) – some of them had mental health problems
 Were told not to travel in large groups – shop owners thought they might rob
them
 They went to school to get their high school diploma, BA, College courses
 They had to get their social security cards so they could work their multiple
jobs
 Tried to find their families
 Organized awareness campaigns for the Sudan conflict – Put pressure on US
government to help.
 Went to Lost Boys Reunions
 Sent money to Africa to help friend and family
 3600 Lost Boys were eventually brought to the USA
Life Lessons from the Lost Boys of Sudan
1. It is never too late to learn:
2. There can always be a new beginning in life, never give up:
3. Believe in yourself and your potential:
4. Hard work leads to opportunities:
5. Helping family and friends is important in life:
6. It is important for people to maintain their culture:
7. People in North America need to be more friendly with strangers / new
immigrants / with each other:
8. People need to work and add something to their society in order to feel
fulfillment:
9. Look out for the less fortunate, think of others, be selfless:
10. Give back to your communities:
11. Take on leadership opportunities whether they be big or small:
12. Don’t take life for granted:
13. Don’t judge a person from their appearance
14. Don’t waste resources
15. Never say never: a bit vague, you can explain it
16. Don’t take your family for granted
17. Maintain hope
18. Have patience
19. Money isn’t everything