Against All Odds: The inspirational journey of Paul Jawa, refugee turned football star
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Reading Time: 15min | Thu. 25.05.23. | 15:20
Jawa narrates his lucky escape from the war-torn Juba to Kenya, as a teenager, and how he revived his football talent and education in Korogocho and Kariobangi slums
The spine-chilling images of 2016 remain etched in the mind of South Sudan's Paul Jawa when he sought to reach Uganda from his home capital, Juba, via the Aggrey Jaden Road.
He does not remember whether the lifeless bodies he saw strewn along the road were in their tens or hundreds, but the one thing he is sure of is that were it not for the grace of God, he'd probably have been one of the victims of the civil war that was reignited on July 7, 2016.
For starters, Jawa is one of the success stories of the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations showpiece, as he accounted for the two goals the South Sudan national team scored in its maiden appearance in the tournament held in Egypt from February 19 to March 11, 2023.
The Bright Stars beat all the odds stacked heavily against them to reach the quarterfinals of the continental tournament, courtesy of the two goals scored by the fast-rising Jawa.
Unbeknown to many, behind Jawa's football wizardry and goal-scoring prowess is a story of a boy who has, seen and overcome it all courtesy of his resilience, patience, and hard work.
At the back of his glamorous football career is a painful story of a boy who lost his dear family members due to the civil war in South Sudan, split with his family when he was a teen, gambled with his life and beat all manner of odds stacked heavily against him, to make himself a name and further make his family and country proud.
The 2016 Juba conflict hatched one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises as thousands of refugees, mainly children and women, crossed borders, according to reports published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Further, a report by a United Nations official published by Reuters in 2018 indicates that 50,000 people were killed in 2016 in South Sudan, and nearly a quarter of the population back then was uprooted from their hoods or fled after sensing danger,
Regrettably, Jawa accounted for the disturbing statistics of those who involuntarily bolted from Juba.
Watching some of his relatives die in the most senseless manner and staring at the possibility of losing his own life, prodded the lastborn in a family of eight to swing into action and take a route that his nuclear family was not comfortable treading.
Hankering to save himself from the harrowing experience, the then 13-year-old Jawa bit the bullet, separated from his dear family, hopped onto a bus, and sadly, fled his motherland in January 2017 for Nairobi through Uganda, a journey that took a whopping four days.
Bidding his family who opted to stay farewell, relocating to a new territory, and accepting the 'refugee' status was simply a bitter pill for the determined youngster to swallow.
He was, however, ready to confront life head-on in a new country, whatever the cost.
Escape from Juba
The deafening sound of explosives, and chaotic roars of gunfire, almost made it impossible for Jawa to leave their Dar es Salaam estate in Juba and catch a bus that was on standby to evacuate harmless civilians to Uganda and Nairobi.
However, he had already made up his mind and was willing to risk it all to quench his ravenous hunger for success in football and academics, as he anticipated a second chance at life inside a refugee camp or in a rather safe environment, away from home.
Further, the burning desire to make it in life and drag his family out of the biting shackles of poverty made Jawa, who was a stranger past the outskirts of Juba, scamper, hoping to make a fortune later in life and change his story and that of his loved ones.
"My escape from Juba to Kenya through Uganda was not a pleasant one. I was barely thirteen when I fled my home country for Kenya due to the incessant fights witnessed in Juba back then. Some of our relatives were killed while others were displaced," recounted Jawa while settling in for the interview.
"Leaving the house for the bus station to Uganda was a terrifying experience. Accessing the bus station and navigating from Juba was a strenuous exercise as bullets were flying all over, but, thankfully, I and others safely pulled through. The fear of being ambushed and killed on our way to Uganda made the journey much more difficult. I remember seeing lifeless bodies on the way to Uganda," he narrated.
Stories, of renowned football superstars being born and raised in refugee camps or even grappling with untold suffering in their childhood to ultimately make it in life courtesy of their talent, have often been told.
Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, versatile Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, Nigerian international Victor Moses, and the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric are living examples.
Closer home, the skillful Jawa is a player who has seen and knows all about struggle, having witnessed the deadly exchange of fire in the South Sudanese capital and in his second chapter of life in Kenya as a refugee.
Kenya is the second-biggest refugee-hosting country in Africa after Ethiopia, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
As of June 2022, UNHCR reported that there were 555,183 refugees and asylum seekers in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, Daadab Refugee Camp, Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, and Mombasa.
Of this population, around 45% are 18–59 years old, which makes up most of the working-age population, according to the body.
"Kenya hosts refugees mainly from the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa region. While most people fleeing conflict in South Sudan arrive in Kakuma in northern Kenya, most Somali refugees flee to Dadaab, located in Garissa County in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya," reads part of a report on the agency's online portal.
Luck follows the brave.
This old adage resonated well with Jawa as the daring move to put his life on the line when escaping as well as separating with his family due to the armed conflict paid off as soon as he set foot in Kenya.
While a vast majority of the other refugees who accompanied the now-19-year-old from Juba proceeded to kick off life in various camps in the country, someone was willing to take him in and save his football talent from going to waste, educate and offer him a decent lifestyle.
Geoffrey Kasudi, the Chief Executive Officer of the South Sudan Youth Sports Assistance Academy, had established deep roots in Nairobi and was subsequently granted custody of Jawa whom he had known through his football talent.
Jawa's natural talent caught the eye of Kasudi and other managers of the academy while playing football in the streets of Juba in 2014, and he was formally signed at a time when he was ten years old.
Realizing that he was coming from a humble background, Kasudi through the academy offered to pay school fees for Jawa in the final two years of his primary school education in Juba.
"I had contacted Kasudi before leaving Juba. He saved me from heading to the refugee camp as he received me upon arriving in Nairobi. He had known me for two years as I played for his academy back in Juba. He also helped me with school fees in the last two years of primary school," said Jawa who remains forever indebted to Kasudi for his acts of kindness.
The godsent Kasudi in collaboration with the other executives drawn from the academy, voluntarily deepened into their purses and enrolled Jawa at the Anointed High School, which is based in Kariobangi North, in February 2017 for his secondary school education.
"I took Jawa in as my firstborn as soon as he arrived in Kenya. I had known him as a humble boy who was keen on thriving in class and on the pitch. I couldn't let his football talent go waste. He also had the desire to succeed academic-wise," revealed Kasudi.
Navigating his way out of the unsafe Juba was a great deal of experience, but life was not about to give him a break as he was forced to adapt to the Kenyan culture and schooling system within a short time.
He also had to adapt to life in Kariobangi and Korogocho, two low-income residential slum areas located in northeastern of Nairobi that are synonymous with crime, drugs, and all manner of life challenges.
However, the two slums have a rich history of churning out talented sportsmen—football, to be precise.
Dealing with the struggle to blend in, learn, and unlearn in an indecent yet relatively safer environment was one hundred percent welcome for the boy who witnessed traumatizing incidents back home.
This was however a welcome challenge for Jawa if it was to be compared to what life was offering back in Juba.
"The serene environment in Nairobi was simply reassuring. It was a great feeling to be in a calm place and in an environment where I had been assured of continuing with my education and chasing the grand dream I had of becoming a professional footballer. I struggled to adapt to the new environment, but it was better than holding on to hope back in Juba," he stated.
After Jawa's crave to further his education found a perfect match following his admission to the Anointed High School, his aspiration to change the lives of his family back in Juba through football received a shot at the arm as Kasudi helped him land a place at Korogocho Youth Academy.
Kasudi, used his long-standing friendship with Kenya U20 national team coach Stanley Okumbi to the advantage of Jawa as he negotiated for a place for him at Korogocho Academy, which was run by the renowned Kenyan coach.
This availed a platform for the ambitious youngster to dust his boots and revive his football talent at the academy during the weekends and off-class hours, as he was a day scholar.
For Jawa who is nicknamed Messi due to his excellent dribbling skills and eye for the goal, playing football on the dusty football pitches in Korogocho slums and schooling in a modest institution was an answered prayer.
According to the African Population and Health Research Center, the Korogocho slums where Jawa spent most of his teenage years are prone to high incidences of drug abuse, organized crime, and access to illegal firearms.
However, Jawa, resisted all these and remained focused on playing football and chasing academic dreams.
"Kasudi was a good friend of Okumbi, who was in charge of the Korogocho Youth Academy. Through their friendship, I was invited for trials and was signed after perhaps impressing the coaches. It was satisfying to study and play football again, regardless of the happenings in the area where I was living. There is no way I would have fled home only to fall for crime and substance abuse. I was focused on my goals," he said.
Yet another hurdle
The smooth sail suddenly turned turbulent for Jawa, after the South Sudanese academy cut its financial aid meant to cater for school fees at a time, when he was a Form 2 student.
This forced him to transfer to the Sunflower High School, which is based in Kiamaiko slums in Nairobi, and just before he could ponder where to get fees, Okumbi, a man known for his affinity for upcoming footballers, offered to lend a helping hand.
Okumbi, who had previously tutored the Kenyan men's senior football team, the Harambee Stars, between February 2016 and March 2018, said coming to the aid of Jawa was no brainer, as his football talent displayed in the first training session won his heart.
"When I first saw him train on a pitch full of murram in Korogocho, I was convinced that he was a rare gem. I later learned that he was a refugee who had the desire to shine in class too. I helped raise school fees for him and mentored him on the pitch. It is gratifying to see him be the player he is today," remarked the former Mathare United tactician.
Jawa who later transferred to St. Teresa's Boys High School in Eastleigh, Nairobi, enjoyed uninterrupted studies and game time on the pitch, but one more hurdle lay in front of him as he could not be allowed to sit for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) final exams to mark the completion of the high school's four-year-long course.
The transfer to St. Teresa's, an institution that has previously churned out players who have gone on to conquer the Kenyan top league, came with a prize for Jawa as he was forced out of the Korogocho Youth Academy under unclear circumstances.
By regulation, a student cannot sit for the high-stake exam if he fails to present a valid Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and his profile does not surface in the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) portal.
This proved a massive setback for Jawa as he had to repeat the Form 4 course in an attempt aimed at buying time so as to sit for special KCPE exams on request and have his profile updated on the KNEC portal.
His academic story, which was also disrupted at some point by the coronavirus pandemic, had a beautiful ending as he belatedly sat for the exam in March 2022.
"My studies were nearly grounded in the second term of the Form 2 course as the South Sudanese Academy stopped paying school fees. Luckily, Okumbi chipped in. He helped me despite falling out with Kasudi later. There were tests in the closing stages of the four-year-long course, but I navigated through even though I had to do an extra year, "continued Jawa, who at some point was overwhelmed by emotions.
Call up to the South Sudan U20 and senior team
After wrapping up his secondary school education, Jawa was recalled to the Korogocho Youth team, which rebranded as Rainbow FC in April last year.
The decision, by Okumbi to consider the striker's services for the second time proved masterstroke as he, helped the club secure promotion to the Division One league, the Kenyan third tier.
Jawa was the overall top scorer in the 2022 Division 2 league campaign, thanks to the sixteen goals he scored.
His stellar performance drew the attention of Joseph Kanyi, a United States-based coach, who recommended him to the South Sudan U20 team management that was preparing the team for its first ever appearance in the continental tournament.
His close friends Daniel Bichok and Jacob Addis Panoam who are attached to Kenyan clubs Nairobi United and 2009 Kenyan league champions Sofapaka, respectively, also advocated for his call-up to the junior national team by virtue of being regulars in the team.
Bichok, who spent some years of his life at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, is a defender, while Addis is a winger. The two took part in the AFCON U20 qualifiers.
"My heart must have skipped a bit when the call from the national team manager came in. I would not have been called up to the team had my friends not spoken highly of me to the South Sudanese federation and national team technical bench members, as they had never seen me play before," he recounts with joy.
The Bright Stars were placed in Pool C of the AFCON tournament alongside Uganda, Congo Brazzaville, and the Central African Republic (CAR).
The team lost 2-1 in the first game against Congo before recovering to beat the Central African Republic by a solitary goal in the subsequent duel.
The last group stage match against the Ugandan Hippos ended in a barren draw.
Stars' fairytale sojourn in the tournament ended in the quarters after losing 5-0 to the Gambia.
Jawa who scored the team's two goals in the tournament, was named the man of the match against CAR.
The superb show he put on in the junior tournament saw him land an invite to train with the senior national team under coach Stefano Cusin who was preparing the team for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier double against Congo Brazzaville.
Jawa made his first appearance for the senior team on 23/03/2023 sitting on the substitutes bench in the first leg of the AFCON qualifier held in Brazzaville, where the Bright Stars won 2-1.
He, however, missed the return leg hosted at the Benjamin Makapa Stadium in Tanzania four days later. Congo won the duel by a solitary goal
This was not the first time the player was getting a call-up to a national team, as he recalls traveling to France with the U13 team when he was a primary school kid.
Family Ré-union
The call-up to the U20 team tagged along with the blessing of reuniting with his family after six years of separation.
Jawa, left Juba in 2017 as a teenager and returned as a youth who could speak up to five languages courtesy peace, enjoyed and his schooling in Kenya
He fondly remembers running into the fully stretching arms of his parents, Mr. America Jawa and Mrs. Rati Thomas, after touching down in Juba, bringing about an emotional moment as all present struggled to hold back tears of joy.
A lot had changed while he was away, including the regrettable demise of his four siblings, who succumbed to various illnesses.
He also got to meet two of his stepmother's siblings, who had been born when he was away in Nairobi.
"It was a euphoric moment to link up with my parents and siblings after six years of separation. Luckily, I found the majority of them all alive and kicking, save for the four who had regrettably passed on. I got to meet my stepmother's siblings born when I was in Nairobi," he shared the moment of joy.
The Arsenal fanatic says he headed to the national team camp for the AFCON with three objectives in mind: to inspire the team to an incredible run in the tournament, make his family and country happy, and make a name for himself.
"I handed a huge chunk of the allowances from the national team to my parents. I also treated my siblings and old friends whom I used to call neighbours before leaving for Nairobi to a party," he said.
Jawa, who, following his electric performance at the AFCON for the U20, has generated interest from clubs based in the United States of America, France, and other European countries, intends to turn professional, with changing the lives of his family for the better being his top priority.
"I believe that I am the one who will pull my family out of poverty through playing football. I also want to pay school fees for my siblings. I normally avail something on a monthly basis, but I am sure good things are in the pipeline," he expressed his sincere hope for good tidings in the future.
With a virgin future lying in front of the interior design enthusiast, some things are crystal clear at the back of his mind, and among them is invoking the spirit of not giving up no matter how dark the situation is.
The youngster also hopes that a long-lasting solution to the never-ending peace challenges in South Sudan will be achieved soon.
Jawa prays his story, his rise and progress will instill belief and hope in the thousands of aspiring footballers from informal settlements, refugee camps, and humble backgrounds to achieve their dreams.
"If Nairobi hadn't given me a second chance, probably the violence would have consumed me or I would have wasted away. I will never stop at anything until I achieve my dreams in football and life," he shared his parting shot.
BIO
Name: Paul America Jawa Mara
Date of birth: 15/7/2004
Place of birth: Dar es Salaam estate in Juba
Education
Primary School: Mer-Kolong in South Sudan
Anointed High School, Kariobangi North
Sunflower High School, -Kiamaiko
St. Teresa's Boys’ Secondary School, Eastleigh, Nairobi
Clubs played for:
South Sudan Youth Sports Assistance Academy
Korogocho Youth/Rainbow Kenya for 7 years
Role Model: Lionel Messi
Favorite food: Fish
