Stephen Pitya Tongun was born in Juba, South Sudan, during the civil war. When he was six months old, his family was uprooted and forced to depart, and he became a refugee.
The Tongan family fled to Nairobi, Kenya, where they lived as refugees in Kibera before being granted permission to travel to Adelaide, Australia, under the provisions of a humanitarian visa. He has not disclosed his family member and educational background.
