高清福利片

鈥淗ey Kevin, what are you doing for summer break?鈥� asked Mbonisi 'Bo' Sibanda, my fellow full-time MBA classmate.聽

鈥淗ey Bo! How are you? I don鈥檛 know yet, I was thinking about doing some volunteer work. I鈥檇 like to go back to Africa, maybe even South Sudan. I've heard they are dealing with a bad famine.鈥�

鈥淐ool! Let me know if you want to go to South Sudan. I have a close friend that works with refugees and I could talk to him for you. He鈥檚 also a big track and field star, I think he鈥檚 getting ready for the Olympics now.鈥�

Very neat, I thought. I鈥檇 enjoy visiting South Sudan, plus I could set something up to help their people out. I鈥檓 pretty sure it is the most illiterate country in the world.

鈥淭hanks buddy. Please do. I鈥檇 like to meet your friend,鈥� I said.

The year before, I was stationed in Europe as a Marine Ground Supply Officer.聽 My job was to oversee all Marine assets used for crisis and humanitarian operations in Africa. At the time, South Sudan was going through a famine, a horrible famine that was only exacerbated through an ongoing civil war. I unquestionably placed my best efforts, perhaps naively, in preparing for a call that would never come.

I remember leaving the conversation I had had with Bo with an immense feeling of聽possibility聽in the contributions that were within reach. I鈥檇 been a free man, honourably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, for the past 9 months. I鈥檇 spent that time trekking, driving, riding, and flying from Frankfurt to Sydney. For that 9 month recess, I chased happiness and comfort. The very best daydreams returned when I started putting the needs of others first.

One month after my first conversation with Bo I landed in South Sudan.聽

鈥淰accination records,鈥� the immigration officer demanded. He was hunched over the desk. His cheek rested on his left palm and his right palm was extended out towards my chest.

鈥淪ure, here you go.鈥�

The officer grabbed my yellow CDC immunisation record booklet. His yellow eyes squinted as he confidently riffled through the pages. He handed my yellow booklet back. 鈥淗ave a nice day.鈥�

鈥淭hank you, Sir.鈥�

He never looked at the part where the yellow fever vaccine was written, a requirement for clearance into South Sudan. He can鈥檛 read. At least the Ebola checkpoint officer had a thermometer that makes a noise when someone had a fever.聽

I walked through customs and immigration into Juba, South Sudan.聽Bo鈥檚 friend Yawusa and Honorable (his uncle) were waiting for me outside the airport.

鈥淕ood afternoon Honorable and Yawusa, it鈥檚 an absolute pleasure to meet you folks in person. Thank you for everything you鈥檝e done,鈥� I said.

鈥淚t鈥檚聽our聽pleasure, Kevin. We鈥檙e excited to get started on this project with you. This is a really good thing you鈥檙e doing. There鈥檚 no libraries here and we鈥檙e so happy to maybe have one,鈥� said Honorable.聽

We spent the first days enjoying each other鈥檚 company, discussing future plans, and learning about the history of the world鈥檚 youngest country.聽

Taking materials learnt from my full-time MBA, including Professor Guy Ford鈥檚 Creativity, Innovation and Business unit, and applying tips from Dr. Kevin Lowe鈥檚 Leadership Practice and Development unit, we worked through a plan of action and milestones.

Yawusa and I were then able to secure a meeting with the Honorable Dr. John Gai Yoh, the South Sudan Presidential Advisor for Educational Affairs. We discussed politics, upcoming legislation, and the war. At the end of the meeting he blessed our NGO and offered his continued assistance.

Less than one month after our meetings with various politicians and civic leaders, Yawusa and I were able to secure legal registration of our NGO, the South Sudan Library Foundation. As we move one step closer to building the library, I hope we are able to make a difference by improving literacy among the people of this amazing country. 聽