About Us

In 2001, nearly 4000 Sudanese resettled in the United States. Peter Machok founded One With Us and shared it with Nak M. Nun; Ayuel M. Awuol, Peter Dieu, other Lost Boys and friends joined them in their efforts to support the displaced people of Southern Sudan.

We know what it means to help and support others. When we were seven years old, our village of Duk Padiet in Southern Sudan, Africa, was attacked by the Islamic militia of Northern Sudan. Like many other children, predominantly boys, we fled to the bush as instructed by our parents to escape the bombs and bullets pouring down on us from the sky. After being separated from our families, we had only each other to depend upon. We became part of that group of over 20,000 lost children called the Lost Boys of Sudan. We would trek for over a thousand miles to reach safety, first in Ethiopia and then later in Kenya. Threatened by wild animals, and suffering from little food, clothing or shelter, we were part of the 10,000 young ones to survive the flight from the war in the South of Sudan.

We were some of the fortunate Lost Boys to be chosen to leave the refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya. Resettled in Chicago in 2001, we are currently working full time and pursuing our college degrees. But even in the midst of learning a new culture, how to support ourselves and budget our time between work and school, we have a dream and a vision for the rebuilding of our destroyed village of Duk Padiet. In the summer of 2005, we established One With Us: Supporting the Rebuilding of Duk Padiet. We fervently believe it is the legacy of human beings to care for each other. With the formation of One With Us, we are working to give hope to our Southern Sudanese family, friends and neighbors who were also driven from their village district of Duk Padiet. As the peace is established, following the signing of the peace accords on January 9, 2005, the Dinka tribe communities have begun to return to their war devastated lands in and around Duk Padiet.

Duk Padiet was underdeveloped before the war re-erupted 1983. With all the bombings and devastation, there is little left standing in the Duk Padiet district and few services of any kind. The Sudanese refugees are beginning the trek back home to repatriate their villages. It is our hope to begin to provide the rudiments of basic human necessities for the people of Duk Padiet.

It is our adamant vision to reach out and help those who have so little and are starting to return home to Duk Padiet. It is our conviction as we reach out to others who have so much less than we have, to continue the legacy of one human being helping and caring for another human being.