My Story

I was born in Dhuoreding Village, near Nasir in the Sobat region of what is now South Sudan. My parents, Maluth Abiel (Tut Lew) and Nyareth Deng, had nine children. One was stillborn, six died during childhood, my brother Abiel was killed during the war in 1989, and my sister Nyakueth later passed away in Sudan. I am the only surviving child.

My childhood was marked by war, displacement, and loss. My family and I moved through several villages and towns across South Sudan and Sudan, including Mayom, Torkiel, Wijin, Yomding, Paduay, Lual Yak, Baliet, Malakal, Juba, and Khartoum, before eventually reaching Nairobi. I experienced conflict firsthand and was trained to carry a gun as a teenager. Survival was never guaranteed.

Education gradually became my way forward. In Wijin, I learned to read and write in Nuer. In Yomding, I encountered the English alphabet for the first time. Despite difficult circumstances and limited resources, I continued learning, eventually turning my attention to teaching, faith, research, and writing.

From 2001 onward, I pursued educational opportunities in community development, health, education, governance, communication, information technology, and theology. In 2009, I completed certificates in Theology and Information and Communication Technology at Emmanuel Christian College. In 2012, I earned a Bachelor of Theology through Emmanuel Christian College and the South African Theological Seminary. That same year, I began publishing books on Amazon.

Since then, I have written and published more than 130 books covering theology, education, history, technology, leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development. In 2025, I also began contributing opinion articles to The DAWN newspaper in Juba.

Today, my work focuses on African development, China-Africa relations, international cooperation, education, technology, governance, economic development, writing, and digital entrepreneurship. As a China-Africa Scholar, I am particularly interested in how African countries can build mutually beneficial partnerships through trade, education, technology, infrastructure, and international cooperation.

My professional journey has taken me from a small village along the Sobat River through war, displacement, education, teaching, publishing, and international academic engagements. I am a writer, researcher, educator, and digital entrepreneur, committed to producing knowledge that contributes to individuals, communities, and nations.

My story began in a village in South Sudan, but my work now reaches international audiences through books, articles, research, and digital platforms. I continue to write, study, and participate in conversations about Africa’s future and its relations with the rest of the world.

My Work and Areas of Interest

My work focuses on writing, research, education, public policy, technology, and international cooperation. I believe knowledge should be practical, accessible, and useful in addressing real challenges facing individuals, communities, and nations.

1. Writing and Research

Writing is central to my professional work. I have authored more than 130 books and publish articles on development, governance, education, technology, faith, and international relations.

2. Public Policy and China-Africa Studies

My research interests include governance, economic development, infrastructure, and China-Africa relations. I explore how international cooperation can strengthen African institutions, local capacity, and economic opportunities.

3. Education and Teaching

Through books, articles, workshops, and public speaking, I promote critical thinking, effective communication, and practical learning. I believe education should prepare people to contribute meaningfully to society.

4. Digital Skills and Technology

I write and teach about technology, digital literacy, artificial intelligence, online publishing, productivity, and digital entrepreneurship. My interest is in helping people use technology for learning, employment, and business.

5. Theology and Faith

I hold a Bachelor of Theology, and my Christian faith remains an important part of my life. My interests include biblical studies, Christian education, ethics, and the relationship between faith and public life.

6. Leadership and Institution Building

I study leadership, organizational development, governance, and civic responsibility. My work examines how responsible leadership and effective institutions contribute to peaceful and prosperous societies.

7. Communication and Language Services

I work across English, Dinka, and Nuer, with professional experience in writing, editing, translation, and interpretation. I value clear communication as an essential part of education, professional services, and international cooperation.

My interests are also shaped by my childhood experiences along the Sobat River. Village life, hunting, fishing, farming, craftsmanship, and community living taught me practical skills and an appreciation for local knowledge, natural resources, and human relationships.

Today, I bring these experiences together through writing, research, teaching, and digital services. My continuing interest is in human development, African progress, and international cooperation, particularly the opportunities available to individuals and institutions in South Sudan and across Africa.

Connect my interests to my core philosophyStrengthen my China-Africa scholar identity

My Philosophy

My life has taken me through war, displacement, faith, education, writing, and public engagement. These experiences have shaped my understanding of human development and the relationship between identity, action, and meaning.

I believe that individuals, institutions, and nations derive meaning from who they are and what they do. I express this conviction through the central equation of my Human Horizon Theory:

M = {B, D²}

Meaning = {Being, Doing²}

In this equation, M represents Meaning, B represents Being, and D² represents Doing squared. Being concerns identity: who we are, what we believe, and what defines our existence. Doing concerns our actions, habits, decisions, and responsibilities. The squared term emphasizes the importance of repeated and sustained action. Together, Being and Doing² provide the basis for understanding Meaning.

Being: Who We Are

Being begins with identity. It concerns our existence, values, beliefs, history, culture, and understanding of ourselves. For me, human identity begins with God and the inherent dignity of every person.

Individuals need a clear sense of identity to make responsible decisions. Institutions need a defined identity and purpose to earn public trust. Nations need a shared sense of identity to establish their priorities and determine their future.

Being provides the foundation for action. Knowing who we are helps us understand what we should do and why we should do it.

Doing: What We Consistently Do

Doing is the practical expression of identity. It includes our decisions, habits, work, relationships, and responsibilities. What we believe becomes visible through what we repeatedly practise.

The squared term, D², emphasizes the cumulative importance of consistent action. A single good decision may produce a limited result, but disciplined actions repeated over time can create lasting change. Similarly, repeated irresponsible actions can multiply problems.

This principle applies to individuals, organizations, and nations. Policies require implementation, strategies require execution, and development requires sustained work. Progress is demonstrated through practical results, not intentions alone.

Meaning: The Relationship Between Being and Doing

Meaning emerges from the relationship between Being and Doing². It is not simply what we claim to believe or what we hope to accomplish. It is also expressed through our actions, contributions, and the results of our lives.

An individual creates meaning through responsible living and useful contribution. An institution expresses meaning through its identity, performance, and service. A nation builds meaning through the dignity of its people, the quality of its institutions, and the opportunities it creates.

In Human Horizon Theory, Meaning is therefore both personal and collective. It connects identity with action and human existence with contribution.

Being defines who we are. Doing expresses who we are through consistent action. Meaning emerges from the relationship between the two.

Why the Formula Matters

Human Horizon Theory is not only an explanation of human existence; it is also a way to examine human challenges and development. The relationship expressed in M = {B, D²} helps explain why identity, conduct, and responsibility matter in personal and public life.

Many problems facing individuals and societies involve a disconnect between declared values and actual behaviour. Corruption reflects a failure of responsibility. Conflict can arise when identity is used to exclude rather than coexist. Underdevelopment can persist when knowledge, resources, and good intentions are not translated into consistent action.

Addressing these problems requires more than policies and institutions. It also requires individuals who understand their responsibilities and act accordingly.

Individuals, Institutions, and Nations

The same principle applies to every level of human organization, from families and businesses to universities, religious institutions, and governments. Each can ask three fundamental questions:

• Who are we?
• What are we consistently doing?
• Do our actions reflect our identity and stated purpose?

The answers help reveal whether an individual or institution is living up to its responsibilities. Alignment builds trust, while persistent contradictions weaken credibility and performance.

Putting the Formula into Practice

I apply Human Horizon Theory through writing, research, teaching, publishing, and public engagement. My work brings together education, faith, technology, leadership, and international cooperation, with particular interest in human development and Africa’s future.

I believe Africa’s progress requires more than natural resources, infrastructure, and foreign investment. It also requires educated citizens, responsible leadership, capable institutions, productive communities, and sustained commitment to development.

Ultimately, Human Horizon Theory invites individuals and societies to examine who they are and how their actions express that identity. It provides a way to think about personal development, ethical leadership, institutional responsibility, and national progress.

Change begins with people. People build institutions, and institutions contribute to the development of nations.

If these ideas interest you, I invite you to join the Human Horizon Theory community by completing and submitting the form below.