Adelaide United’s Awer Mabil out of Africa against the odds and loving life in Australia

BORN behind wire – encircled by death, disease and dust storms – Awer Mabil swore he wouldn’t become another lost soul of Sudan.

Mabil, 18, is A-League’s break-out talent just eight years after fleeing the infamous Kakuma refugee camp in west Kenya with his mother and three siblings.

Adelaide United’s Spanish coach Josep Gombau this week made Mabil the cornerstone of his club rebuild after just 16 games – contracting the quicksilver winger through to 2017.

Sudan’s civil war and ongoing conflicts have claimed 1.5 million lives, including Mabil’s father, and displaced two million including orphans known as the Lost Boys of Sudan.

Kakuma – where Mabil entered the world in 1995 – houses 100,000 in a facility intended for 16,000. Life as a professional footballer and bona fide Reds fan favourite was unimaginable for the boy who wondered if he would ever find salvation.

“My Uncle was here in Australia but it was a long process, it took years, lots of forms,” said Mabil, the flyer United believes could be its first product to crack Europe’s top flight leagues.

“We waited for so long, we didn’t know if we would end up coming to Australia. We just hoped.”

Australia was the panacea for Mabil’s mother Agot. Every minute spent in the camp increased despair and the odds of malnutrition or malaria. To venture outside meant demise was imminent.

“You would see it every day,” recalled Mabil.

“It is kind of hard to look back, I try not to.

“It wasn’t good, people were starving, there was fighting, killing.”

Source: News Limited

Mabil is of Dinka heritage – many fought in the South Sudan People’s Liberation Army against Muslim-run government forces from the north over 21 years from 1983.

Incredibly composed recalling the tribulations of childhood, Mabil stumbles only with reference to a heroine mother and fallen father he was barely old enough to remember.

“Mum moved to Kenya as Dad was a soldier, that is why I was born in the refugee camp,” said Mabil.

“It is very emotional for me. My Mum has looked after us and made us feel like kids who had a father. She inspired me to become the best of the best, my No. 1 fan.

“I didn’t get to know my father as I would have liked but he means a lot.”

Mabil was inaugural winner of the Martyn Crook foundation award for outstanding young talent in 2010 – four years after settling in Australia. Daring dribbling and showmanship caught the eye of Socceroos legend Tony Vidmar.

Watching Australia’s 2006 World Cup campaign on television stirred the competitor within Mabil – blessed with electric pace and natural flair powered by iron will.

Last year the winger was named National youth league’s most valuable player – astonishing given he only joined Salisbury East Soccer Club in 2007 aged 11 when elite European juniors are already ensconced in academies.

“I used to play in the streets of the camp but when I came here I saw the 2006 World Cup I knew that is what I wanted to do,” said Mabil who would substitute bottles in socks for balls in Kakuma.

“I fell in love with the game. As soon as I have the ball it makes me forget all my problems.”

Of course football was never as appealing on an empty stomach.

It was only on arrival in Australia that Mabil discovered the thrill and energy provided by a belly full of pasta.

Source: News Limited

“They used to give us food once a fortnight, there wasn’t much, a bit of rice and beans. You had no energy but would still run around. Now I like to eat a lot of rice and pasta now before a game,” said Mabil, who pursues a three-hour daily commute on foot and by bus for training at Hindmarsh from Andrews Farm.

There is a clarity in Mabil’s outlook shaped purely by the barbarism of war and deprivation that follows.

A cherished professional football deal means a fancy car, clothes and social media stature for most prodigies. Instead Mabil’s original $40,000 United deal last year meant survival for relatives in Africa.

While oil rich South Sudan gained independence from the north in 2011, fresh civil unrest has broken out in the continent’s new country.

“There is a war between tribes going on in Sudan and it isn’t looking good. People are dying for no reason. Every day we get calls from Africa saying people we know have passed away,” lamented Mabil.

“It is kind of sad, we finally made peace with each other.”

Mabil can’t stand the thought of any more family perishing in Africa.

“Ever since I played for the first team with United last year I have helped them. As soon as the money started coming in I sent it to them, we have got some to Kenya in a safer place and house,” Mabil said.

“I want to bring my grand mother over here. My grand dad passed away there and my Aunty is still there with her kids.”

St Columba College graduate Mabil’s next goal is to purchase a dream dwelling for his family.

“Hopefully with this new contract I can save some money and one day buy my Mum a house,” said Mabil, now studying to be a personal trainer.

There is a maturity beyond Mabil’s tender years – ignoring a victim mentality to.focus on improving relations between the Sudanese community and the wider population. However stereotyping Sudanese Mabil’s age and younger risks a self-fulfilling prophecy that is unfair on those striving to succeed.

“I try to be a role model to the younger kids. They are some older ones who have come here, got in trouble and not everyone likes us now,” said committed Christian, Mabil.

“In every culture you are going to have a few bad people but that doesn’t mean everybody is.”

“I am trying to change that so that we have a future for Sudanese kids.

“I really like it here.”

A-LEAGUE

ROUND 14

ADELAIDE UNITED v WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

COOPERS STADIUM, SUNDAY, 4.30PM

LIVE: FOX SPORTS

Adelaide United squad:

1. Eugene GALEKOVIC (GK) (c), 14. Cameron WATSON, 4. Jon McKAIN, 5. Osama MALIK, 21. Tarek ELRICH, 8. ISAIAS, 13. Steven LUSTICA, 10. Marcelo CARRUSCA,7. JERONIMO, 11. Bruce DJITE, 18. Michael ZULLO. 17. Awer MABIL, 20. Paul IZZO (GK), 23. Jordan ELSEY, 31. Ryan GRIFFITHS.

Western Sydney Wanderers squad:

1. Ante COVIC (gk), 2. Shannon COLE, 3. Adam D’APUZZO, 13. Matthew SPIRANOVIC, 4.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY, 5. Michael BEAUCHAMP (c), 10. Aaron MOOY, 23. Jason TRIFIRO, 19. Mark BRIDGE, 21. Shinji ONO, 17. Youssouf HERSI, 9. Tomi JURIC, 11. Brendon SANTALAB, 20. Jerrad TYSON (gk) , 22. Dean HEFFERNAN, 28. Alusine FOFANAH, 32. Daniel ALESSI, 7. Labinot HALITI.