News, Portrait

A refugee's story

Among the many happy Spiders graduating in May, it’s hard to imagine one who has come farther than Manyang Reath Kher. Kher was one of Sudan’s Lost Boys. At the age of 3, he was separated from his family and — like thousands of boys like him — escaped Sudan’s civil war by making a harrowing trek hundreds of miles across a hostile landscape. He has dedicated himself to becoming an increasingly effective advocate for other refugees.

Not long after Manyang Reath Kher came to the Richmond area, he watched the documentary God Grew Tired of Us, a look at the harsh reality of refugees whom the world were calling the Lost Boys of Sudan. Kher saw his life in the documentary because he was one of those 20,000 boys who survived the civil war in Sudan by walking hundreds of miles to live in makeshift refugee camps in Ethiopia. Although safe from the war, the boys found little to be happy about in the camps. Separated from family, they had little education, food, health care, or hope.

“The movie made me feel like my life was useless,” he recalled. “I questioned my life. I had only been in the U.S. about seven months. Those people didn’t deserve that life.”

Commonwealth Catholic Charities brought Kher to Richmond, where he lived at the Virginia Home for Boys and Girls. After seeing the documentary, he wanted to help, but with no money and living in a group home, he had no idea how to proceed. So, he decided to create awareness of the situation through the International Affairs Club at J.R. Tucker High School. The group sponsored a run and raised a few hundred dollars that they gave to a large charity.

He felt good, but “I didn’t know if our money was helping the people I wanted to help.” After entering the University, Kher was determined to help the refugees directly. Two years of hard work and making connections resulted in the Humanity Helping Sudan Project. In its first year, the nonprofit organization raised $7,000 — mostly from Kher’s high school friends and their families. That summer, Kher went to Africa and bought 120 fishing nets so refugees could easily fish for food.

“I felt so good. I can finally help directly,” he said.

But he wasn’t done. Soon the project added a 4-acre community garden, funded by Whole Foods Market. The refugees began growing potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and peanuts. Then HHSP bought chickens, adding another food and income source.

Kher’s achievements garnered him national attention. He was a finalist for the 2012 VH1 Do Something Award, earning $10,000 for HHSP. Applause Africa magazine gave him its Humanitarian Award.

Kher graduates from Richmond this year and plans to continue his humanitarian work. He hopes to build a trade school, increase farming in Ethiopia and South Sudan, and import Sudanese coffee to the U.S.

While the war has ended, the need to rebuild persists. Kher plans to be there as long as it does.