Lual Mayen is a 24 year old video game developer based in Washington, D.C. and CEO of Junub Games, a company that uses games to promote peace and stability in South Sudan.
Born in South Sudan in a refugee camp near Nimule on the Uganda border, Mayen now resides in the United States. He is the developer behind the innovative video game called “Salaam,” which means “peace” in Arabic. The game that is garnering international recognition, intends to bring players into the life of a refugee – put players in the shoes of a refugee.
As someone who was once a refugee in Northern Uganda, he is “using the experiences from his past to inform his products: games aimed at peace-building and conflict resolution”. His vision, according to NRP, is to use the game to inspire empathy for refugees, as well as include a charitable component whereby “when players make in-app purchases of extra resources in the game, a portion would go to a grassroots organization at a refugee camp”.
“My goal is to alleviate suffering in the war-torn community and to raise awareness of the killing and displacement of millions,” Mayen said.
Mayen was named a Global Gaming Citizen at the 2018 Game Awards in Los Angeles, “for using gaming to promote “positivity” and community”
