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Jok Akuien – a former south Sudanese refugee who lost his parents to civil war – is chasing his soccer dream

Trinity College Gawler student Jok Akuien isn’t bothered by the two-hour return train trip to practice four times a week. It’s all part of the former south Sudanese refugee’s football journey.

Jok Akuien, 15, holding a soccer ball, with the 10 members of his household at Blakeview. (AAP Image/ Morgan Sette)
Jok Akuien, 15, holding a soccer ball, with the 10 members of his household at Blakeview. (AAP Image/ Morgan Sette)

Jok Akuien is all too familiar with the “Lost Boys of Sudan”, a name given to about 20,000 mainly orphaned males forced to flee southern Sudan since the 1987 civil war.

The 15-year-old soccer talent – from the Dinka tribe – was also orphaned before his older sister Theresa Aker Barach became his guardian ahead of a move to Australia in 2007.

Akuien is on the verge of cracking Croydon Kings’ seniors, with coach Angelo Costanzo taking a good look at the centre back/left back.

And Kings’ extraordinary record of discovering ex-refugees that had been discarded or couldn’t afford the cost of Football SA’s elite program could see Akuien take the same professional route as Adelaide United’s Al Hassan Toure and Hosine Bility of FC Midtjylland.

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Jok Akuien, 15, holding a soccer ball, with the 10 members of his household in Adelaide. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette
Jok Akuien, 15, holding a soccer ball, with the 10 members of his household in Adelaide. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette

Akuien’s immediate goal is playing for AUMC at the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup in late March, but he is short on funds.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page as Akuien works at Fasta Pasta Elizabeth part-time between training, game day and school commitments.

The Trinity College Gawler student isn’t bothered by the two-hour return train trip to practice four-times a week, where he usually gets home at Blakeview in the dark hours before taking on homework.

“I used to leave school at 2pm to drop my stuff off at home and go to training at Angle Park,’’ Akuien said.

“I used to have to run to the train station with my school bag and my soccer bag to get there in time, I was carrying too much stuff.”

Akuien is now hoping to tread the same path of his cousin, Socceroo Awer Mabil, who was also a former south Sudanese refugee.

Socceroo Awer Mabil in action. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images
Socceroo Awer Mabil in action. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“Awer has done what I am doing now,’’ Akuien said.

“He used to catch public transport like I did.

“I trained with him recently before he went back to Denmark.

“He is just telling me to keep working hard, don’t give up.

“He left the state elite soccer system like me when he was young and got signed by Campbelltown City and within a year Adelaide United picked him up – look at him now.”

Akuien now lives in a house full of life with Barach, where 10 people are under the same roof, with a baby on the way.

“It’s a happy home,” Barach said.

“My dad and my mum died during the civil war in South Sudan, Jok was a one-year-old.

“I have six children and I’m expecting another baby in March.

“My aunty relocated first to Australia, she made a proposal for us to come to Australia with a humanitarian visa.”

You can donate to Jok’s Go Fund Me page > HERE

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/local-soccer-sa/jok-akuien-a-former-south-sudanese-refugee-who-lost-his-parents-to-civil-war-is-chasing-his-soccer-dream/news-story/81233237240a02abf26176dd303c5d98