My dear friends and fellows Ramciel Magazine’s Readers,

We are very excited to announce to you the release of Ramciel Magazine’s Second Print edition which was elated for Spring 2020, unfortunately, we postponed the launch that was supposed to take place in Juba, South Sudan because of the COVID-19. The launch had to be scrubbed because of the Quarantine. Now, we managed to print at least some hard-copies that we will give as a token of appreciation to those who helped our fundraising last year.

Our mission at Ramciel Magazine is to continue reconnecting the South Sudanese who are scattered around the globe back to their root in South Sudan and to teach our people in South Sudan about our life experience in the diaspora. As I recalled back then in Kakuma I resolved to become a journalist. I wanted to tell the story of my people, my country, and our struggle. I wanted to tell that story not just to the rest of the world but to our people. I believed then—and believe even more strongly today—that the people of South Sudan had to learn to read and that they—we—had to share the stories of our struggles and successes. 

I was lucky enough to be one of the Lost Boys who was allowed to come to America. I had never been in an airplane, and suddenly, sponsored by Catholic Charities, I was bound from Nairobi to the other side of the world, to Phoenix, Arizona.

I lived in two foster homes while I went to high school. Although Catholic Charities provided me with some spending money, I wanted to send money back home to my family so I found a job. Adapting to American life was often difficult, but in some surprising ways, it was easy. For one thing, while other workers hated cleaning bathrooms, I loved it. What a wonderful difference from my life in Africa, a life that offered few amenities such as bathrooms or cold drinks.

Ramciel Magazine 2019 Cover

Like most young men who have been trained to be soldiers, I was determined to reach my goals and especially to do it my way. For example, although I had been a good soccer player back in the refugee camps of Ethiopia and Kenya, I had never played basketball. When I realized that I was not as good as the other boys in my high school gym class, I went to the park and practiced and practiced some more until I could stand out.

I suppose that sense of having to direct myself made me a less than ideal foster son, but it did prepare me for coping with adult life. Like many of the Lost Boys I suffered—and still suffer—from PTSD. It is difficult for me to sleep through the night and I usually prefer sleeping in the living room rather than in the bedroom. Often my nights are disturbed by terrible memories, particularly of burying those wonderful men who helped me survive and who themselves died of illnesses. I helped to dig many graves in those years, and they haunt me still. 

For a while, I tried to self-medicate with alcohol. But my determination allowed me to stop drinking. I had to fulfill those goals of making something of my life, of making a difference for my people, and of becoming a journalist.  I pushed myself to attend community college and then Arizona State University. I graduated from college and went on to earn a master’s degree in business administration.

Now is the time for me to realize that goal of my adolescence, to create a magazine that will speak for and to the people of South Sudan. I have called it Ramciel.  Ramciel Magazine already has a web presence and electronic editions have been published. The next goal is to create print copies of our magazine. Print copies have a number of advantages, the most important is that for many people in South Sudan they will make Ramciel feel real. Another is that print copies can be placed in ways that make them appear to people. For example, we could have them for sale at the Juba airport so people coming to South Sudan can learn about our country. Another great advantage of the print edition is that they lend themselves to sharing, to people sitting together to read and look.

It is only through communication that our nation can find its identity. It is only by sharing ideas and dreams that we can create that sense of unity that will be essential to national peace and prosperity. We believe that RAMCIEL MAGAZINE can make a significant contribution to our country and our people. However, before we can fulfill our goals, we must have sufficient financial support to make the next few editions of RAMCIEL happen. While producing an online magazine is inexpensive, providing print copies, especially insufficient numbers so they can be distributed in South Sudan, is costly. We are planning to launch our third edition hardcopy print this fall, probably in September-December 2020.

We ask your support in our effort. Please contribute what you can. 

Please contribute any amount and help us be successful in this endeavor.

Donate $20.00 (Get Coffee Mug)
Donate  $35.00 (Get T-Shirt)
Donate $50.00  (Get Laptop Cover)

Donate  $100.00 (Get Annual Ramciel HardCopy with Business Card Ad)
Donate $200.00 Get business card ad in Ramciel online and in annual hard copy.
Donate $500.00 (Get 1/2 Page ad in Annual Hard Copy and online.

We ask your support in our effort. Please contribute what you can.

By Deng Mayik Atem

Founder and Editor of Ramciel Magazine L.L.C

info@ramcielmagazine.com or azdengatem@hotmail.com