Panyijiar Community Development Services (PACODES)

During the Second Sudanese Civil War, more than 20,000 young boys were displaced or left without caregivers...they became known as the Lost Boys of Sudan.

Today, Panyijiar Community Development Services (PACODES) continues to carry on the legacy of a group of young Sudanese men who decided to give back to and improve the community they were forced to leave. With your support of $25 per month, we can continue to support students in refugee camps with quality secondary education. Join us with your donation today! 

Who We Are

In the early 2000s, roughly 150-200 Lost Boys were relocated to the Fargo-Moorhead (F-M) area. Justin Machien Luoi was one of those boys, and went on to attend Fargo South High School and eventually Concordia College. But he never forgot his Sudanese roots. Together, with other refugees in the F-M area, Justin helped start a movement to donate $50 a year for a fund to help rebuild their country. He said, "The Lost Boys have been helped,” he says. "Now it is the time for Lost Boys to help." 

Photo of Justin Machien LuoiWith the help of a group of professors, community members, and a local law firm, Panyijiar Community Development Services was created in 2006. Justin and the other Lost Boys have now moved on to earn graduate degrees, start families, build careers...to live their lives to the fullest. But, PACODES remains firmly committed to supporting Panyijiar County (and beyond!) through education, health care, clean water, and sustainable agriculture. 

"The Lost Boys have been helped. Now it is the time for Lost Boys to help."

What We Do

Since 2006, PACODES has directly impacted lives in Panyijiar, South Sudan. Our first project was to build a library and community center, marking this as the first and largest collection of books in the region. From the beginning of PACODES history, we have always prioritized the power of education and what even one book can do to spark inspiration and hope. 

"To me, knowledge is power. We can only do that through giving books.” -Justin Machien Luoi

                                   Original blueprint for the library and community building in Panyijiar County                                           Photo of the completed building thanks to PACODES funding                                                           

More recently, continued civil unrest in South Sudan has made secondary education opportunities unavailable. So, PACODES has decided to expand its programming and offer scholarships to selected students from Bweyale and Kakuma Refugee Camps to attend secondary school in Uganda or Kenya, respectively.

How You Can Help

The annual cost of a secondary education in Uganda or Kenya for selected PACODES scholarship students is approximately $2,200-$2,800, largely for tuition, room and board, school uniforms, books and materials, travel, and other incidental fees directly associated with students’ education. 

In 2024, we need 25 individuals to give $25 per month (or a one-time gift of $300) to reach our goal of $7,500. Reaching this goal means we can support two more students from Kakuma Refugee Camp with secondary education in Kenya. We are delighted that their studies are already underway. They are featured below under the Media Gallery: Muoch Mathak Bijur, 9th grade at St. Joseph's Boys School, Kitale, Kenya (pictured below on right), and Nyataba Mabieth Joak, 9th grade at St. Mark's Girls School, outer Kitale, Kenya (pictured below on left). Will you join us and those who've already contributed? 

Yes, I want more students to achieve their dreams!