Achol Jok Mach is a South Sudanese/Canadian, born 1984 in what was then Sudan. In the early stages of the Sudanese civil war she moved to Cuba with her family, where she lived for 8 years before moving to Canada in 1997. In Canada she finished her education earning a B.A in Literature from the University of Alberta. In 2011 she moved back to. what is now South Sudan.. "I moved back home just before independence, with the hope of learning more about my country and culture, and most importantly, to witness the birth of a new nation. I am working with #defyhatenow, an initiative Mobilising Civic Action Against Hate Speech and Directed Social Media Incitement to Violence in South Sudan, both raising awareness and finding ways to counter this ‘epidemic’. I have also worked as a producer with Radio la Benevolencija in Juba.. I am fluent in English, Dinka, Spanish and Arabic. I am working on podcasting that encourages dialogue between South Sudanese in the diaspora and within South Sudan. I hope to always learn and further expand my knowledge on innovative approaches to peacebuilding, with the hopes of applying this knowledge in South Sudan and the diaspora."
