National Photographic Portrait Prize 2017 Finalist
Kuei was born in Bahr el Ghazal, which translates as ‘Sea of Gazelles’, in north-western South Sudan. Civil war has afflicted this region for decades. Roughly two million people died in the conflict, and four million were displaced. Kuei spent eight years in a UN refugee camp before emigrating to Australia. She has survived conflict, disease, famine and an Ebola outbreak in her village. Kuei has now built a new life in Australia with a young son and her Australian partner. I am inspired by her story of determination and how she has flourished in this country.