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May 25, 2007
The Power of One (and of Stories)
I went to a screening last night of the film “God Grew Tired of Us (The Lost Boys of Sudan),” produced by National Geographic Society. After the film, I met John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys, who spoke of his experience in the refugee camps.
At age 13, Mr. Bul Dau fled for his life as Arab tribesmen from northern Sudan invaded his village in the southern Christian area. He and his best friend made their way, often eating grass to survive. He spoke of nearly dying from thirst, eventually discovering a kind of mud that tasted like oatmeal which provided the necessary water for his body. He talked with passion about the refugee camp where he lived for 17 years, how despite his age, he organized 1000 fellow fugitives from the conflict so that order could be maintained. He expressed wonder about his present bliss as a new father and husband, having married one of the Lost Girls, a young Dinka tribeswoman who fled the violence, and after years in a camp, found her way to Seattle.
Here are my lessons from the film and the subsequent discussion:
1) Leaders can emerge from unexpected places and unforeseen circumstances. Mr. Bul Dau’s leadership skills were forged in the most intense crisis situation.
2) His optimism was tempered by realism but nourished by a deep faith from his religious background but also by confidence in himself
3) There is no substitute for hard work. Mr. Bul Dau worked three jobs when he arrived in the US. He awoke at 5 am so that a volunteer could drive him to his job in a foundry, then another volunteer took him to McDonalds where he flipped burgers. He eventually went on to university.
4) The power of family is a central element of his success. He was nourished by letters from home. The most touching moment in the film is the reunion of Mr. Bul Dau with his mother after 17 long years of separation. She prances through the Syracuse, NY airport emitting tribal shrieks of joy, in disbelief at her now 6 foot 6 inch son, a man living in the US.
The greatest gift that PR people can deliver is the telling of stories that inspire action. Betty Hudson and her husband, Boyd Matson, who work at National Geographic, have spurred thousands in the US to donate to health facilities and relief efforts in the Sudan. I thank them for this heroic effort and for the demonstration of the power of communications.
Posted by Edelman at May 25, 2007 10:55 AM
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Comments
Thanks for your post about John Dau.
Maybe a greater gift that PR people can deliver is driving the inspired action to help the story tellers themselves.
John has his own campaign that has spurred thousands in the US to donate to health facilities and releif efforts in the Sudan. With the help of student groups and online fundraisiers, a clinic opened earlier this month in the village he grew up in.
Read more about John's project at http://www.directchange.org/sudan
Visit his fundraising page at http://my.directchange.org/page/lostboys
Posted by: Ken at May 25, 2007 3:44 PM
KD
You are absolutely right. Our job is to inspire through telling stories or to help the real actors tell their own stories
Posted by: Richard Edelman at May 29, 2007 10:04 AM
Richard Edelman -
Thank you for your note and for posting my comment.
I had not heard from John about the fundraising success (he received about $8K in pledges) at the event that you bloged about when I posted my comment. As your blog post demonstrates, John's story is extremely powerful. However, most of the media coverage (traditional and new media) of his story and the film have had little impact on his fundraising efforts.
As it is rare that John's presentation has an audience filled with the leaders of the PR industry, any feedback on his presentation or how to better leverage his story would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Ken Deutsch
Posted by: Ken Deutsch at May 29, 2007 10:45 AM