was born on 16 April 1977 in Wau, Bahr el-Ghazal province, South Sudan to Athian Wek, a teacher, and Akuol Parek. Wek was the seventh of nine children. Her family belonged to the Dinka ethnic community. During the Sudanese civil war from 1956 to 1972, Wek’s parents spent much of their time as refugees in the Central African Republic and other countries. Wek did not know her actual date of birth, but later chose 16 April 1977 as the legal date Like many Dinka Wek was quite tall and reached nearly six feet in height Her family was reasonably well off by the standards of Wau in the late 1970s and 1980s even though they did not have access to electricity Her parents were strict but Wek later recalled their sense of discipline with respect Her education began in Wau at a primary school originally founded by European ...
