Personal reflections of a young South Sudanese on five years of war

“Leaders must build trust and implement the agreement to its letter and spirit,” is the impassioned plea by John Penn a young South Sudanese who like thousands of others are reflecting on the past five years with deep despair.

December 15th marks the day the first shot was fired in Juba, triggering what was to become half a decade of war and suffering.

John Penn is one of the founders of the #AnaTaban youth advocacy group which has grown into a movement of young people advocating for change. 

Penn was already a refugee in Kenya and had already felt the rumbles of conflict by the time the 2013 war broke out. 

In this interview with Sebit William, he shares a personal account of his experiences over the past five years.