My name is William Deng, and I am the founder of Brother Deng.

I was born and raised in Aweil, South Sudan. Like most boys in southern Sudan, I grew up as a “Cattle Boy,” herding cattle from one field to the next. Because of the turmoil and poverty caused by the civil wars, I, like most children, was forced to work rather than attend school. I still dreamed of being able to go to school and get an education. My dream of getting an education and living a secure life seemed impossible unless I escaped the current situation.

God protected me throughout my long journey, first to Northern Sudan and, eventually, to the United States. When I reached the United States, I was 14 with only a third-grade education. After much hard work, I graduated from Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I then went to Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, with a bachelor’s degree in international business, a minor in Economics, and a master’s degree in Banking and Financial Services.

I started the non-profit in 2011, but my mission started long before that. My initial goal was to eradicate Malaria in South Sudan, but that was just the beginning. My next goal is to bring educational and healthcare infrastructures to South Sudan through Brother Deng.