About

ROSS Leaders was founded in 2019 by Executive Director, and South Sudanese Omaha local, Jacob Idra. The organization was birthed by Jacob and a group of friends in an effort to provide mentorship and guidance to young South Sudanese men within their local community. Headquartered in Nebraska, a state home to 20,000 South Sudanese residents, our founders recognized that South Sudanese youth were left underserved, facing the insurmountable challenges due to unforeseen circumstances that forced families to flee their homeland. With a determination to directly address these challenges, disrupt the cycle of trauma, and alter the trajectory of South Sudanese students, ROSS Leaders was born. It all began with just 20 students in Omaha, Nebraska, and has since evolved to support more than 300 co-ed youth across the country.