South Sudanese Beauty Queen Succeeds Despite Hardship
By Hailey Higgins
Published: October 16, 2011, 10:07 PM
SIOUX FALLS, SD – One South Sudanese woman is defying all odds and becoming a role model in her tightly-knit community.
Anyath Aluong has come a long way to where she is now. The 24-year-old came from Sudan after her father was murdered during civil unrest in 1995.
"I remember thinking why we are in this country. We don’t belong here. We don’t know the language. We don’t know the living habits, nothing," Aluong said. "But a couple years later we were speaking English and in school."
Aluong’s hard work paid off as she became the first in her family to go to college. Broadening her horizons, she entered and won the Miss South Sudan pageant last year on a whim.
But three months later, she gave up the crown for more important obligations.
"It was so hard, especially with school, you know, I was going full time with that and then you have full time work and you have your little siblings, but yeah, basically three main priorities that held me back so it was tough," Aluong said.
But hard work and sacrifice is paying off. After graduating with an associate’s degree from National American University, Aluong is starting her dream job as a pharmacy technician at Sanford Health Monday morning.
"I feel like a little girl at a candy store. I have been applying at Sanford for the longest (time). And for me to get the call and they said, ‘I think we are going to go ahead and give you the opportunity,’ I was screaming, jumping up and so excited," Aluong said.
The founder of the Miss Sudan pageant, Yar Kang, said Aluong is a shining star among the Sudanese community and an inspiration for other young girls.
“It’s a big deal for us. So like when other young Sudanese girls are like five years old, seven years old, seeing Anyath graduate and she’s working at the Sanford Hospital, this sis what makes them dream bigger,” Kang said.
"I want to be able to be a good role model, just like how my dad was before he was killed. So part of what I do to get where I am and where I am trying to go is based on where I was raised and how I was raised," Aluong said.
In the future, Aluong says she would like to go back to South Sudan and possibly set up a small pharmacy there to help those who have limited opportunities for medication.
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