'Australia saved me': Ayik Chut Deng on life as a Sudanese child soldier in 'The Lost Boy'

[CONTENT WARNING: This podcast contains descriptions of war and mental illness that may upset listeners. Discretion is advised. In addition, the intro contains descriptions of violence against a child; skip to 1:34 in the podcast if you'd like to avoid this.]As a boy living in the Dinka tribe in what is now South Sudan, the youngest country in the world, Ayik Chut Deng was a member of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). During his time as a child soldier, he witnessed unspeakable violence and was regularly tortured by older boys. At age nineteen, he and his family escaped the conflict in Sudan and resettled in Toowoomba, Australia. Overcoming a childhood filled with torture and war was a process of lifelong learning, choices and challenges that included a remarkable chance encounter with a figure from his past, and an appearance on national television.In this episode, Ayik Chut Deng joined Max Lewis to chat about the writing of his memoir 'The Lost Boy: Tales of a Child Soldier', and how he overcame unimaginable trauma to become the man he is today. Grab a copy: https://bit.ly/2UutFVx