As a kid growing up in South Sudan, at times not knowing where his next meal would come from, Bior Atem Bior Barach, 35, navigated his way around the obstacles that life threw his way, fueled by his passion for knowledge and a brighter future. PETRONAS, a global energy and solutions company, recognised this potential in him and offered him a scholarship. PETRONAS later hired him and Bior now a petrophysicist, aspires to pay it forward to other kids like him.

THE story of Bior Atem Bior Barach’s childhood is one that would be familiar to many children of South Sudan who, like Bior, were born and grew up during a tumultuous time in the country’s history.
Displaced from his ancestral village in Jonglei State, central South Sudan, Bior and his family trekked southwards on foot, moving from one internally-displaced persons’ camp to another.
As with many children born in a time of conflict, Bior’s schooling was interrupted, many times. Bior spent five primary-school years in five different schools. There were times when there was no class, because there literally was no school to go to and the children would have to pitch in to lay the bricks to build it. And there were months when classes were held in the shade of a tree.
“When it rained, we would quickly run to the teacher’s house and keep our books there, so that they wouldn’t get wet!” chortles Bior with the memory of a surprisingly innocent childhood.
At the tender age of 11, Bior’s parents sent him to study across the border in Uganda. He would stay with a former colleague of his uncle’s.
“People who didn’t get the opportunity to cross over to Uganda lost out on a consistent and structured education. If their families didn’t have even the small amount of money to help them cross over, and if they didn’t know anybody on the other side with whom the children could shelter under their umbrella, they would drop out.”
Refugee children were permitted to study in Ugandan schools. And even though Bior was not a registered refugee, he asked to study in a school, sat for an assessment test, did well, and was permitted to school in Uganda.
After a while, the uncle’s friend was granted asylum in the United States. Bior had to stay at a boarding hostel.
“I had to learn a new language to relate with people. I didn’t have my family there, so you have to devise your way of living, of surviving.
“As a kid, sometimes I would miss a meal. But, you train yourself that if you miss it for a few hours, you can get it later; or, if you miss it for a day, you can eat tomorrow. Because you are not staying with your mum: nobody is going to make sure that you get your meal every time.
“So, you have to know that some things are real. And if you don’t try to be strong for yourself, there is no one who is going to back you up.”
After class, Bior would sit with his friends and explain what they had learnt. By explaining it, he understood it better and helped his friends.
“School was a passion for me and my friends.”
In Senior One, Bior missed two terms of school and was not permitted to take the final exam, even though he insisted that he was up to it. He was instead advised to re-take the year. This did not sit well with Bior, who wanted to move up with his peers. So, he quit that school, went to another one, and sat for an assessment test. He passed it and was allowed into Senior Two.
“I was very resourceful when I was younger!” reflects Bior on what he had to do to survive.
After his A-Levels, Bior went back to South Sudan to live with an uncle who worked as a medical assistant in a hospital in Nimule. He had done well in the exams; but, not enough to win a scholarship to go to medical school in Uganda.
With nothing to do, Bior befriended a Frenchman who worked with the World Health Organisation, and volunteered as a translator. On learning that Bior wanted to study Medicine, the Frenchman arranged for Bior to volunteer at the hospital. After two months, he was offered a position as a nurse.
The plan was to work his way up to clinical officer, and then get a medical degree.
But, after two years at the hospital, an elderly cousin had a different plan for him.
Having signed the comprehensive peace agreement in 2005, the Regional Government of Southern Sudan was giving scholarships for South Sudanese youths to study at the University of Juba in Khartoum.
As a lot of bright young people were studying Medicine, Bior’s cousin suggested that he diversify and study Geology instead, since South Sudan was sitting on natural resources and not a lot of people were studying Geology or Petroleum Engineering.
“My cousin said, ‘See, all your peers are in the same career. Don’t you want to be a rare man in a rare field? Do something to make you stand apart from people.’”
After one year at the University of Juba, the College Dean shortlisted him and two others for an interview for a PETRONAS scholarship to study at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Malaysia. He did well and was offered a scholarship to study Petroleum Engineering at UTP.
Transitioning to life in Malaysia has its own set of challenges in terms of culture and way of life. Bior remembers the friends who helped him along the way.
“I formed a study group with two Malaysians, two Thais, one Mozambican, and two other South Sudanese. We divided the topics between us, studied our given topics, and then presented it to the group. That’s how we studied to improve ourselves.
“We spent one semester adapting. By the second semester, we came in at the same level as everyone else.”
After graduating, Bior went back to South Sudan and briefly worked at the Ministry of Petroleum before being offered a job at PETRONAS in Petrophysics.
“When I was a student, I would go to Kuala Lumpur with my friends. And we would look at the PETRONAS Twin Towers and often wondered if by some miracle I could come and work in these towers?’”
“I knew that PETRONAS would help me develop my skills well. The training I received from PETRONAS would be invaluable.
Bior knew that the opportunities PETRONAS provided him in terms of capability building, experience and exposure to other international companies, would allow him to contribute more meaningfully to South Sudan one day.
“PETRONAS has given me all the training necessary to become who I am. And this training prepares me to contribute back to South Sudan, either in training people, or improving the way they do things.”
As a Petrophysicist at the Petroleum Engineering Department for the past six years, Bior pays it forward by mentoring South Sudanese UTP students, who come often to his house and consider him as an elder.
“I tell them: ‘Don’t call me an elder. Don’t create a barrier between you and the other person; the most important thing is believing in yourself and helping others to achieve their best. “
Bior is grateful that doors opened for him because PETRONAS believed in him.
Today, he is able to take care of his family and help put other kids through school, rewarded when he sees the happiness it brings to others.
If not for PETRONAS, a company headquartered thousands of miles from South Sudan, who believed in me, and provided the right opportunities, I wouldn’t be where I am today, Bior reflected.
PETRONAS International Education Sponsorship Programme offers merit-based scholarships for students in PETRONAS’ areas of operations to study at institutions of higher learning including Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP). – www.petronas.com