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                               Their Sides of the Story

Mike Mellia, a well-known photographer, has decided to team up with various artists and have them share their views/sides of Sudan. Down below are just some of the examples. 

"Mike Mellia has joined supermodel Nykhor Paul and other figures to turn the world's attention to the crisis in South Sudan. With the help of powerful, searing photographs, Mellia has produced a portrait of the anguish that haunts the lives of those South Sudanese who have managed to escape, and through them, of the lives of those they left behind... born of a desire to tell the story of South Sudan by moving beyond the limitations of the media through the raw and emotive power of art." – ARTINFO

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Nykhor Paul: Supermodel (Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, DVF), activist, and refugee. Fled South Sudan to an Ethiopian refugee camp, immigrated to America at age 9, entered Nebraska foster care & adopted by an American family. Nykhor's South Sudanese family was unable to escape due to its large size. Her dream of unity among all tribes in South Sudan is one that will end the circle of violence and exile. Nykhor has a strong passion for uniting South Sudanese women and people of all backgrounds to build a better South Sudan through her initiative "We Are Nilotic."

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Ger Duany: Actor (The Good Lie- 2014, with Reese Witherspoon by Ron Howard & Molly Smith, I Heart Huckabee's- 2004 with Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, & Dustin Hoffman), humanitarian, former child soldier, and "lost boy" refugee. Founder and executive director of the Pibor Foundation Non-Profit organization. Ger returned to South Sudan in 2011, on a search to reunite with his family, vote for the first time, & rebuild his nation. Ger says, "I used an AK-47 before I learned to read or write."

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Manyang Reath: Founder of Humanity Helping Sudan, sending aid and assistance with help from corporate brands like Whole Foods and Allegro Coffee. A refugee at age 3, he lived in refugee camps along the border between Ethiopia and South Sudan for 13 years before immigrating to America. Manyang believes we can overcome the problems in South Sudan by bringing awareness to the issues.

My opinion towards these people is that it’s amazing how much love and endearment they have for their country. Many of them had to go through similar situations to get to where they are now. But, going through what they had to go through actually made them a lot stronger. It just goes to show that no matter where life takes you…never forget where you came from. The amount of love that these men and women feel towards their country, although what is happening, is great. It is great in the way that it shows that they will embrace their country for the best, and even for the worst. It’s beautiful.