Nationality: South Sudan
Taban Nuai Deng is a South Sudanese youth leader, researcher, and social entrepreneur committed to transforming the lives of displaced communities through education, evidence-based research, and sustainable development — anchored in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Taban is Founder and Chief Executive Director of Youth Proudly Space Initiative (YPSI), an internally displaced persons-led nonprofit operating from a Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, South Sudan. Drawing on his own thirteen years of lived experience in displacement, Taban leads programming in entrepreneurship, digital literacy, peacebuilding, and climate resilience for over 5,000 displaced youth. He also serves as Head of Chapter and National Coordinator for African Students for Liberty (South Sudan) and as Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld, while completing a BSc in Geology and Mining at the University of Juba. His long-term ambition is leadership within the United Nations peace and security system.