Apr 5, 20185 min read

Lual Mayen - Future of Gaming Through Peace Building

Lual's world as young CEO beyond peace building game (Junub Games).

Name: Lual Mayen

Occupation: Game Developer

Enterprise: Founder of Junub Games

Home Town: Washington DC

Featured on BBC news | VOA | Al Jazeera

He is a well established entrepreneur both as Speaker, Programmer IFC, and part of World Bank DC.

Laul Mayen is also model and actor with his first feature film soon to be release later this year. He is truly a mogul in the making and inspiration to many young kids that are chasing their dreams.

The 25 years old South Sudanese born Game Developer has created phenomenal game around the provision of peace. Lual Mayen has developed a Video games and board games which young people can learn about peace building and efforts for effective conflict resolution.

He recently took a part of Train Jam with other Game Developers from around the world. Train Jam is a collection of developers traveling via train to the Game Developers Conference and creating games during the 52 hours from Chicago to San Francisco. We got the chance to sit down and interview Lual's on his recent experience. Plus, video clips from his own personal interview with members of Game developers at the Train Jam.

Tell us who is Lual Mayen and how you came about the Junub Games?

Lual Mayen born in South Sudan, third in my family of 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Deng Mayen, Manyok Mayen, Akuol Mayen and Arok Mayen. Parents Mayen and Nyantet are my inspiration specially when growing up in the refugee camp. My mother bought me my first computer and spent over 2-3 years saving the money she gets from tailoring and that's how I became Developer, organizer of first GGJ 17 in South Sudan and Founder CEO Junub Games currently doing programming at the World Bank as a sit project in Washington DC.

Image: Lual Taking care of cattles at Refugee camp.

Image Credit: Lual Testing Salaam Game in Rhino Refugee camp Northern Uganda.

What inspired you to create the Junub Games?

I am from South Sudan and I have personally witnessed the tragedy of the ongoing civil war. My family had to flee on foot to Uganda 25 years ago. It is a prolonged conflict that has traumatized and displaced over 2.5 million people. Over 300,000 people were killed in 2013. Many ceasefires have been negotiated but none has lasted. The biggest impact is on the youth, who are 73% of the population.

Peace building among the warring communities has been carried out unsuccessfully by many South Sudanese and international organizations. I want to use a new approach. I am creating the Salaam (Peace) game to educate and change the attitude and mindset of children and youth in order to prepare them for a peaceful future. South Sudan for example is a country where two generations have grown up during civil war. Children need games to play, not wars to slay, and people lack an understanding of emotional prerequisites for peacebuilding because of systemic violence and decades of war.

What is (are) memorable moments from your recent Tramjam experience?

Train Jam is a collection of developers traveling via train to the Game Developers Conference and creating games during the ~52 hours it takes to arrive in San Francisco from Chicago, however my memorable moments, where seeing the view of some cities, , mountains desert and so much snow beside those train jam was like a dream come true, this was supposed to be my second train jam but i couldn’t make it in 2017 because of the travel ban which included Sudan but south sudan was not part of it and the custom folks couldn’t differentiate between South Sudan and Sudan. Since Sudan Sudan got her independence in 2011.

Images taken at Train Jam

Most importantly meeting a lots of game devs, designers and artist was something i could really remember. South South doesn’t have a big game community and it was a pleasure to me to meet the game community around the world. Meeting folks whom i had connected with them online and those who help me get my goal of crowdfunding last year. All in all i just want to say thank you to Rami and Adriel Wallick for making this happened this year. I couldn’t imagine it will happened again this year after i missed the opportunity for last Year but i never gave cause everything has its own time.

WATCH LIVE CHAT FROM

TRAIN JAM

GAME DEVELOPERS VIEW ON PEACE BUILDING GAMES INTERVIEWED BY LUAL MAYEN

Image credit: Rami (L) Lual (M)and Adriel R TrainJam booth #GDC18

What other projects are you currently working on?

I am currently working on finishing the second version of salaam game and looking for funding from investors and as well on my card game wahda.

Image Credit: Current Salaam game Characters i am working on.

What other game developer collaborative work you hope to be part of ?

This is a very good question, each of us always have a dream and I pretty much love to work with my friend Tyler coleman he is currently working on a great game with MJ and the two have been helping me in my game dev journey. I wouldn’t much dream of having a collaborative with big companies rather than having a collaborative work with tyler and MJ.

LAUL TAKING OVER MODELLING & ACTING INDUSTRY

Not only is he smart developer game. Laul is also natural born model and actor. His recent appearance at Washington Fashion Week sparks a new light in the fashion industry. We can to wait to see more from him. Keep rocking Laul #Unstoppable.

We heard you also an actor? Can you tell us about the movie

Yes, I just finished casting a role on a film directed by Asantewaa Prempeh last year in december. The movie is call liberation this was my first professional movie to act. It was really not easy but i had passion to do it.

Image Credit: Rico

What excites me was to work with professional film actors directors which gave me the courage to do my role successfully and currently on a move to do another movie in collaboration with Real goats in LA. some people are asking me why i am also doing acting, the game industry is one of the tied industry you can really penetrate into and get your game funded and more of all i am working on games for social good and no one is pretty much interested in investing into games for peace but this is my passion and i hope it may help some people so i am trying my best of getting other sources that can help me sustain my life and slowly in the future i can be able to sustain my games and i hope many people get to understand how these games can help, the world has become unsafe for everyone and have a permanent peace is very difficult and people suffer every day and night children and adults. in school and off school.

When should we expect to see the movie premiere?

Hopefully by the end of this year.

What can we expect 2 years from now Mr. Lual?

In the next two years am expecting to have my 2 games really doing well in the industry. Also with help of Saint George's Refugee Sponsorship Committee my family and i will definitely like to move halifax canada to stay with my Auntie family. Dorua Nicodemus.

Laul as a guest Speaker at Havard University Panel

As a panelist speaker Laul shared the importance of Videos games in peace budding and managing communities. As young boy he strong his vision was one kind and bring it to reality was very important by developing games that sends positive message.

GET TO KNOW THE IDEA BEHIND THE PEACE GAME: