Ex-gang member uses football to steer South Sudan youth from violence

ByEnigma 808

A former gang member operates a football academy to help young people escape street violence in South Sudan’s capital. Alaak Akuei founded Young Dream Football Academy after spending five years in a gang, and the program trains more than 900 participants on a dusty field in Juba’s Sherikat suburb. The 24-year-old coach recruits children from streets where gang membership offers community to youth lacking opportunities.

Gang violence killed 39 people between 2018 and 2023 in one displacement camp where nearly 1,200 residents joined criminal groups. Civil war and economic collapse destroyed communities, but football provides an alternative path for marginalized youth. Six coaches who previously belonged to gangs lead sports programs, academic sessions, and leadership workshops for teenagers seeking stability after years of conflict, disrupted education, and livelihoods across the nation.

Author

  • Enigma XO avatar (80x80)

    Besides writing and being a content creator, Enigma 808 sometimes likes to watch paint dry on walls, listening to ASMR while timing snails racing. Such is life.