Awer
Awer's village in the Sudan was devastated by violence, forcing him and thousands of other young refugees to walk hundreds of miles through the African wilderness and unimaginable conditions in a flight to safety. They became known as the "Lost Boys of Sudan," and their stories of courage are featured in a documentary of the same name.
Those who survived eventually made their way to Kenyan refugee camps, and were assisted by international aid groups. Awer was placed at Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, where for the first time in his life, he felt safe and secure.
Awer has a gift for art, and paints memories of Africa - some of serene landscapes, others depicting violence. His works are featured in art shows nationwide and most recently at the Holocaust Museum in Richmond. Awer is currently attending Virginia Commonwealth University on an Amelia Meadow scholarship provided through VHBG.
Because of Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, Awer can achieve his lifelong dream of being an accomplished artist and making a difference in the world. Eventually, he hopes to return to Africa to help other children and families reunite.
Joel
When Joel arrived at Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, he had already endured a long series of miserable and unsuccessful residential and school placements. He was angry, bitter, and withdrawn, and he had no reason to believe it would be different here.
But it was different. Here at our John G. Wood School, our teachers are trained to help children who have faced difficult times. They nurtured Joel, and discovered he had a real interest in computers. And as Joel felt more secure, his abilities began to emerge and he became excited about what he could do. As his love of computers transferred into other subjects, his attitude changed, and eventually, Joel was able to return to public school, where he received his high school diploma.
But his story doesn't end here. Joel attended college, where he studied computer technology. Now he handles VHBG's information technology as Senior Systems Engineer with Wheat Systems Integration. At his wedding last year, Joel introduced VHBG staff members as his family.
Without Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, Joel could have become another sad statistic. But because we were there for him, in his time of need, Joel's future is promising and bright.