Stories of Strength: African Solidarity and the Refugee Experience

By Chiamaka Mbah

Shades of Us hosted its July Forum on Friday, July 25, 2025, to commemorate World Refugee Day, traditionally observed on June 20. We explored “Stories of Strength: African Solidarity and the Refugee Experience.” It was a conversation that reminded us that solidarity is not just about standing with refugees on designated international days, but about how we live every day.

Cynthia Nnenna Umeh, our host, opened the discussion by emphasising that storytelling is a tool for advocacy and awareness. It helps us see displaced people as individuals with dreams and resilience, not just as numbers in reports. “Solidarity should not be limited to a single day of recognition. Instead, it should be something we practice consistently through intentional storytelling, community engagement, and structural change.” She shared.

Our Speakers

We had two speakers – Vanessa Ishimwe and Kuol Arou Kuol – from Uganda and South Sudan (respectively), both of whom have lived as refugees and are now using their experience, knowledge, time, and influence to improve the lives of other refugees in their immediate community. 

Vanessa is the founder of Authentic African Works, an initiative that empowers young refugee women to produce leather products, using the profits to sponsor their secondary education. For Vanessa, entrepreneurship is not just about income; it is about dignity and respect.

“Money gives you options and choices… entrepreneurship gives you direction. No one controls your decisions when you can feed yourself.”

She is a 2018 Anzisha Prize winner and currently serves on the Youth Advisory Committee for the DREEM Project, supported by the Mastercard Foundation. The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a group of refugee youth who guide the DREEM Project. The DREEM Project, also known as the Displaced and Refugee Youth Enabling Environment Mechanism (DREEM), is a partnership between World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Mastercard Foundation. The YAC's role is to ensure that the project's activities are designed and implemented to meet the needs of refugees and displaced young people

Kuol is a peacebuilder and refugee advocate from South Sudan. Having experienced war as a child, he co-founded the Shabab Peace and Environment Action Group (SPEAK). This organisation fosters peaceful co-existence between the refugees and their host and among the refugees themselves. They promote dialogue and conflict resolution among refugees and host communities. He stands on this value:

“Everybody is a potential refugee. Storytelling helps us rediscover ourselves and find common ground, creating peace.”

Lessons from the Conversation

When asked how entrepreneurship helps refugee girls reclaim their dignity, Vanessa explained that it gives them choices and control over their lives. 

Kuol shared how African values guide his work in peacebuilding. He spoke about a South Sudanese saying, “To heal, you must be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

He reminded us that apart from colonial borders that separated us, Africans are still together. Solidarity, he said, is about freeing others to free yourself.

Vanessa challenged the myth that women or girls lack capacity or skills. “My team is 100% women. It is intentional to demystify the idea that women are incapable of managing organisations.”

When asked about refugee-led success stories, both speakers spoke about Nyibol Rachael, a South Sudanese refugee writer and a student of Clinical Medicine at the Indian Institute of Health and Allied Sciences. She currently lives in Kampala, Uganda. It was a pleasure to note that Nyibol was also attending the forum. 

Vanessa also shared the story of a former Ugandan refugee who became an engineer in the US and returned to build schools and sponsor students in Uganda.“They are humans before refugees. Africa can solve its own problems if we come together,” Vanessa said.

The Truth About Solidarity

Kuol highlighted how refugees are often used to raise funds without being included in decisions that affect them.

“Let refugees lead their own interventions. Vulnerability does not mean incapability.”

Vanessa agreed, urging people to see refugees as humans with strengths and weaknesses like everyone else.

Audience Reflections

When someone asked why it is important to tell both good and bad stories, Kuol replied that healing sometimes requires opening wounds, while Vanessa added that bad stories teach lessons and good stories give hope. Cynthia concluded by saying:

“We are all humans. Don’t judge people; let them tell their stories themselves.”

What Can We Do?

• Listen to refugee voices. Make space for them to tell their stories.

• Support local organisations. Partner with or donate to African-led groups working with refugees.

• Challenge stereotypes. Speak out against harmful narratives.

• Use your platform. Share stories that inspire hope and solidarity.

• Advocate for better policies. Push for refugee-inclusive laws and protection.

• Educate yourself and others. Learn about refugee experiences and share them in your circles.

• Build welcoming communities. Connect with refugees around you. A warm welcome can change a life.

Listening to Kuol and Vanessa reminded me that refugees are not just waiting to be saved. They are saving each other every day, building businesses, healing wounds, and teaching the world what true resilience looks like.

Solidarity is not just about words. It is how we live and act towards each other.

How will you show solidarity today?