David Jal, Founder
One of The Lost Boys of Sudan
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David Wal Jal was born in Dunyal village in the Khor Wakow area in Nasir County in the Upper Nile, South Sudan, Africa. He was resettled as a refugee in Sioux Falls, South Dakota 1995, which he still calls his home today. He is married to Janeane Jal and is blessed with four beautiful children, Dori, Peter, Jenna, and Jakob
He holds a bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. With the help of a fellowship through the Bush Foundation, he was able to obtain a master's degree in Social Work from The University of North Dakota, Grand Forks as well as a diploma in International Restorative Justice from Queen’s Theological College, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. David worked for several years at Lutheran Social Services Refugee and Immigration Center as a case manager for newly arrived refugees. He is currently employed as a Court Services Officer in Sioux Falls. Since his arrival in Sioux Falls he has maintained close ties, both personally and professionally, with the refugee populations in South Dakota and around the US. |
David will always remember the welcoming reception and the assistance he received upon his arrival in Sioux Falls and is always willing to return this courtesy to other populations resettling in the area. David has founded a non-profit organization – Khor Wakow Project – to build a school in birth village, Dunyal in South Sudan. David believes education is the key to give the children of South Sudan a chance to overcome the past and make changes for the future.
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