Tong Deng Anei grew up amid the horrors of endless wars that ravaged Sudan and cost the lives of many of his relatives and friends. Years of conflict had decimated the Sudanese health and education systems, leaving his generation with few opportunities.

Rather than deter him, those experiences fueled his commitment to humanitarian work. Anei completed his schooling “under trees” and built a career collecting and analyzing data on food needs across South Sudan for organizations including the World Food Program.

That path led him to Tufts University, where he earned his Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) degree. Today, Anei continues to pursue his childhood dream of helping others, as a food security and livelihoods research consultant for government agencies and organizations such as the United Nations.

Read Tong Deng Anei’s story in Tufts Now.

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