Benjamin: “Despite all challenges, I have to be a carer and father to my lovely angel daughter.”

Benjamin Abeny Gai-manoon was one of the over twenty thousand South Sudanese young boys who trekked to Ethiopia during the war in 1987. While in Ethiopia as a young boy, Benjamin Abeny faced it hard with illnesses in what he described a never easy life in Pinyodu. When the Ethiopian Government was toppled in 1991, Abeny returned to South Sudan only to be trapped inside Boma town without any communication with the family. He was thought to have died during the mass exodus. In 1998, Abeny moved to Kakuma refugee camp and then to the USA through the Lostboys Program in 2000. Abeny is now being faced by another challenge of his life. Since 2015, he has been the primary carer for his very sick daughter Achec. Acheck was born in Uganda in 2013 but became sick just hours after she was born. In 2015, Abeny decided to bring her to the USA and because of the system, a mother was left behind in Uganda. Abeny who has the responsibility of taking care of the family have to resort to being a father and mother in order to provide the most need care for Achec. Abeny reported more improvement but the child still needs 24 hours care. Here is the first part of Abeny and Achec story of father and Angel daughter on SBS Dinka

Benjamin Abeny Gai-manoon and his daughter Achec Source: Supplied