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2009 BCE
Chapter 18: South Sudan
Salva worked on many projects. He even asked students of the Elm Street School in America to fund for a well to be built. A school, a marketplace and a medical clinic were soon to be built. He met a girl named Nya, who thanked him for bringing the water to her village. -
Period: 2003 BCE to 2007 BCE
Chapter 17: Sudan and Rochester, New York
Salva greeted his father, Mawein, and he was happy. Mawein explained that his brothers Ariik and Kuol were dead, while his mother and Ring were alive. Salva stayed till his father’s surgery was complete and promised he would be back. He began to work on a project to help people in Sudan. He was scared to speak about it infront of his first large audience, but spoke. Three years later, he was closer to his goal. -
1996 BCE
Chapter 15: Nairobi, Kenya-Rochester, New York
Salva and 8 other boys rode on a truck from Ifo to Nairobi in Kenya. They filled out forms, took pictures and were examined. Salva wore new clothes. He boarded a flight to Frankfurt, Germany and drank some Coca-cola, which reminded him of his family. He reached Rochester and met his new family. He was surprised to wear a jacket and at how cold it was, but understood that this would be his new life. -
Period: 1996 BCE to 2003 BCE
Chapter 16: Rochester, New York
Salva was amazed by how things were in Rochester: paved roads, fast cars and snow. He learnt English and decided to study business after 6 years. One evening, he got an email from a cousin he barely knew. He went from New York City to Amsterdam to Kampala in Uganda and then to Juba in South Sudan. He travelled on jeep to a makeshift hospital to meet his father. -
Period: 1992 BCE to 1996 BCE
Chapter 14: Ifo Refugee camp, Kenya
Salva stayed at camps in Kenya, first at Kakuna and then at Ifo, till the age of 22. The conditions in both camps were equally terrible. He met an aid worker from Ireland, Michael, who taught him how to read and how to play volleyball. One day, people were being chosen to go to America and after a long wait, Salva’s name was on the list to go to Rochester, New York. -
Period: 1991 BCE to 1992 BCE
Chapter 13: Ethiopia-Sudan-Kenya
Salva watched people jump into the river and die from crocodiles and soldiers shooting them from the riverbank. He jumped in as well, and a boy clung onto his neck till he was shot. Salva stayed in the water till he reached land. He found a few others and soon formed a group of 1500 boys. They all were given work and he made sure they did as told. After a year and a half, they reached Kenya. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 1: South Sudan
Salva is a studious, obedient boy at school. When gunshots were heard outside, he had to run from his school. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 2: South Sudan
Salva ran far from his school and reached the area where the rebels were. He was put into a group with his own village women, as the rebels put women and children together. That night he was left alone. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 3: South Sudan
Salva meets an old woman who is part of his tribe after he gets out of the barn, realizing that he was left behind. He stays with the woman for a few days but then she tells him to leave, as it is dangerous for him to stay with her. He goes back to the barn and heard voices of men who were from his tribe. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 4: South Sudan
Salva leaves the old woman after she asks people of his tribe to take him. They agree after a bit of thinking and he follows them. He meets another set of people from the Jur-chol group, made friends with a young man named Baksa and they find honey. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 5: South Sudan
Salva and his group enjoy the honey they got but end up with bee stings. Other people join the group and Salva meets a boy named Marial, who becomes his friend. They all walk into the Atuot region, and one morning, Salva wakes up to see a familiar face. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 6: South Sudan
Salva meets his uncle who was previously part of the army. His uncle was allowed to keep his gun after leaving the army so he used it to kill an antelope, also known as a topi. Salva and the others ate it and later vomited. One day they were searching for water for miles and lay down to sleep. Marial was missing. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 7: South Sudan
Salva and his uncle found out that a lion must have killed Marial at night. He was sad but they had to move on. His uncle and the group walked towards the Nile river. When they reached there, they started to build canoes and were getting ready to float on a canoe on the river. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 8: South Sudan
The group soon arrived on the other side of the Nile river and met a bunch of fishermen, who offered them food. Saliva ate a sugar cane, which reminded him of home. At night, they could hardly sleep because of mosquitos and left the next day with water, since the fishermen warned them to have some water. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 11: South Sudan and Ethiopia
The group buried Salva’s uncle and mourned his death. Afterwards, they continued their journey and Salva felt stronger, even though he lost his friend and his uncle. They reached the Itang refugee camp and Salva tried to search for anyone he knew. He spotted a woman in a headscarf similar to his mother. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 9: South Sudan
Salva’s uncle told them it would take 3 days to cross the Akobo desert. Salva struggled to walk so his uncle started calling him by his full name to remind him of home. Soon they saw 9 men lying on the sand almost motionless. A woman from his group gave them water even though the others yelled at her not to. -
1985 BCE
Chapter 10: South Sudan
Woman in the group gave water to the 9 men. 5 had died and the group continued with the others. Salva’s uncle said Salva would go to a refugee camp and he would fight in the war and if possible, tell his parents, though they were most likely dead. As they all were eating a bird, men from the Nuer tribe looted them and shot Salva’s uncle with his own gun. -
Period: 1985 BCE to 1991 BCE
Chapter 12: Itang Refugee camp, Ethiopia
Salva decided to stop calling out for the woman because he knew that she wouldn’t be alive. He felt devastated but decided to continue living to honour their memories. He lived and became seventeen years old. Rumors spread that the government collapsed and no one knew the fate of the camps. One rainy day, the people were ordered to leave Ethiopia and were driven towards the crocodile-filled Gilo river.