Bishop Elias Taban (born May 10, 1955)[1] is founder of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sudan and the non-profit Water is Basic.
From the ages of 8 to 13 he was forced to serve as a child soldier in Sudan's first civil war until his family helped him escape to Uganda.
While in Uganda and as a soldier in the second war, Bishop was condemned to death; he was released upon the word of a ranking official that he'd led to Christ.
Bishop Taban has also delivered humanitarian relief to Jonglei state, an area where intertribal conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of people over the past years.
Bishop Taban was a prominent public voice urging South Sudan to resume oil exports to the north and brokering peace between the two governments.
[8] In honor of receiving the award, Bishop Taban sat down for an interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
[10] He was honored for his vision and leadership in addressing global problems,[11] which range in scope from the Arms Trade Treaty to access to clean water in Sudan to work with orphanages.
He is praised as a respected broker for peace in both North and South Sudan, and the Clinton Foundation Global Citizens Award reflects that commitment.