John Dau Foundation

The John Dau Foundation (JDF), also known as John Dau Sudan Foundation (JDSF)[1] is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was established in July 2007 to develop health facilities that currently do not exist for most of the populations of Duk, Twic East and Bor South Counties in the State of Jonglei in South Sudan. Its mission is to "transform healthcare in South Sudan." Currently, the organization’s primary focus is on funding and overseeing the Duk Lost Boys Clinic. The Duk Lost Boys Clinic specializes in the treatment of diseases such as guinea worm disease, malaria, chicken pox, diarrhea, malnourishment, bilharzias, h-worm, kalazar; the immunization of other diseases; and the provision of maternity services. The Foundation is headquartered in Syracuse, New York.[2]

John Dau Foundation
Founded2005
FounderJohn Dau
TypeInternational Health Charity
FocusHealth, HIV, Maternal Health
Location
  • 97 East Genesee St, Skaneateles, NY, 13152, USA
OriginsLost Boys of Sudan
Area served
South Sudan
MethodHealthcare
Key people
President John Dau
Employees
15
Websitewww.johndaufoundation.org

John Dau

John Dau also known as Dhieu Deng Leek is the founder and president of the John Dau Foundation. Dau is a survivor of the civil war in South Sudan and part of the exodus of the Lost Boys of Sudan who were forced to flee their families and homeland.[2] Dau was featured in the award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us in 2006 which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.[3]

Governance

The John Dau Foundation is governed by a ten-member Board of Directors that is headed by Bill Coplin, Director of the Public Affairs Department at Syracuse University. The organization’s Board of Advisors is made up of 15 members and includes Lopez Lomong, the Sudanese-born track and field athlete who carried the U.S. flag in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He announced his support for JDF in September 2008 and shortly thereafter became a member of the organization’s Board of Advisors.[2]

Board of Directors
  • Bill Coplin (Chairman)
  • Bill Allyn
  • Barbara Connor, M.D.
  • Don Cross
  • Jack Howard (Treasurer)
  • Craig Lindsey (Secretary)
  • Gardner McLean
  • David Reed, M.D.
  • Chris Royce
  • Valerie Staats
  • Valeire Admokaoh

Board of Advisors
  • Arthur C. Brooks (Fundraising Advisor)
  • Jack Capron (Legal and Tax Advisor)
  • John Covell, M.D. (Medical Advisor)
  • Daniel Friedman (Medical Advisor)
  • Gordon Hayward (Fundraising Advisor)
  • Ann Higbee (Public Relations Advisor)
  • Ted Kinder (Operations Advisor)
  • Frank Lazarski (Non-Profit Organization Advisor)
  • Lopez Lomong (Outreach Advisor)
  • Kathryn E. Lee (Public Relations Advisor)
  • Marcio Malogolowkin (International Health Advisor)
  • Paul Murray (Fundraising Advisor)
  • Ginny Stehle (Operations Advisor)
  • Jim Vedder (Operations Advisor)
  • Chuck Williams (Operations Advisor)

Ties to the government of South Sudan

John Dau has strong ties to local governmental officials in South Sudan. His uncle, Philip Thon Leek, who was a governor of the State of Jongeli and is now a Minister of Transport in the Government of National Unity, has been instrumental in providing contacts and support from the natives, Tribal Chiefs and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movements and its Health Ministry. The Foundation has received a commitment from the local government to provide support by the end of 2009 for the existing clinic. Although there is no guarantee that this will happen due to the government of South Sudan's financial constraint, it represents a viable strategy that will require less outside support to sustain what has been developed.[2]

American Care for Sudan Foundation

In June 2008, the American Care for Sudan Foundation (ACSF) announced that it would merge with JDF as its operational wing. ACSF was formed initially under the leadership of John Dau and the dedication and hard work of a group of members of the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles to build the Duk Lost Boys Clinic in Duk Payuel, South Sudan in early 2007.[4]

Notable contributions

Notable contributions to the Duk Lost Boys Clinic and John Dau Foundation include $100,000 donated by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (the Jolie-Pitt Foundation) in 2006;[5] $50,000 by the Allyn Family of Welch Allyn in 2006; $25,000 by Volvo in 2008; and $100,000 by United Technologies Corporation in 2008.[6]

See also

References
  1. Mar 13, 2009. "SeQual Donates POCs to Sudan Clinic -". Hme-business.com. Retrieved 27 June 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. "John Dau Foundation". John Dau Foundation Website. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  3. Stephen Holden (January 12, 2007). "After a Struggle to Escape Comes an Effort to Adjust". The New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
  4. "Press Release: The John Dau Sudan Foundation merges with the American Care for Sudan Foundation" (Press release). John Dau Foundation. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  5. "People Magazine: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Donate to Clinic in Sudan". Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  6. "Press Release: United Technologies Corporation donates $100,000 to JDF". John Dau Foundation. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
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