Bor Orphanage & Community Education Project Inc

               BOCEP

The Bor Orphanage & Community Education Project Inc. (BOCEP) was founded in 2011 by Rev. Abraham Maluk and Mr. Abraham Malual, two former Lost Boys from the Dinka Bor region of Southern Sudan. The two men are now living in the Latrobe Valley and are Citizens of Australia, with lovely families of their own but neither can forget their lost childhood and the trauma of growing up victims of war.

Following the recently gained Independence for Southern Sudan, Rev. Abraham visited his home town of Bor for the first time after 23 years in exile. He found that becoming an independent nation had compelled the displaced people of Southern Sudan to begin to return to their homes to try to build new lives among the ruins.

Rev. Abraham was dismayed to find a large number of orphaned children returning to Bor, attempting to create homes and schools for themselves. The children were mostly naked and starving, foraging and begging for food. Their small constructions, made from mud and grasses washed away each time the rains fell. Undeterred, the children would rebuild and rebuild. The older of the children set about trying to run classes for the other children.

On his return home, Rev. Abraham and Abraham Malual gathered a small committee and set about raising funds to build a school for the traumatised orphans of Bor. He advised that the governing body of Bor were supportive of our venture and had donated a parcel of land for the purpose of building the orphanage/school.

Rev. Abraham himself, did not have the opportunity to attend school until the age of 21 in Kakuma Refugee Camp, where he started at beginner or Prep level, alongside 5 and 6 year olds.  He has now been in Australia for 6 years and he has achieved a degree in Social & Community Welfare.  He is also one semester away from completing his Masters in International Relations.  He now works tirelessly with Bor Orphanage & Community Education Project Inc. to help the orphan children of Bor to achieve their dreams.  Abraham Maluk is a fine example of what can be achieved when broken and disadvantaged children have the opportunity to be educated.