Thriving Through Trials

During our recent senior management team meeting, a colleague shared a conversation she had with a government official about refugee affairs. The official remarked that I tend to get emotionally involved in these discussions which sometimes leads to perceptions of “aggression” and suggested that, despite my personal background, it might be beneficial to take a more detached approach at times. While this stung at first, it prompted me to reflect on a crucial truth: the passion that fuels my advocacy isn’t just personal, it’s the shared pulse of our community. We aren’t outsiders looking in; we are the beating heart of the struggle, carrying its joys and sorrows within us.

Imagine: Kashindi, a 66-year-old half-blind widow who, due to serious funding issues, was mistakenly excluded from the list of vulnerable individuals eligible to receive continued cash aid. Though in the World Food Programme’s database she may be brushed off as a mere ‘survey error,’ forced to wait until the next assessment in two year’s time, to me, she embodies so much more. She’s not just a statistic; she’s a face, a name, a beloved grandmother in urgent need of assistance. It’s not a report I’m reading, but a story I know intimately. It’s this inherent connection, this shared breath of struggle, that makes it impossible to “distance” myself. How can I separate my feelings from the stories engraved on my soul, the faces of my parents and siblings reflected in countless others?

Instead of distancing myself, I strive for balance and channel that fire into effective leadership.

Unlike rigid bureaucracies, our decisions are forged in the shared spaces of the camp, informed by the immediate needs we see and feel every day. Our solutions are born of lived experience, not distant boardrooms.

But let me be clear, this unwavering passion is not bragging; it’s the reality of organisations led by proximate leaders, of which Inua Advocacy is proud to be a part. It’s not a badge of honour, but a reflection of the urgent reality we face every day. The refugee community isn’t ‘them’ – it’s us, our parents, our siblings, our present and our future. We breathe the same air, face the same struggles, and carry the hopes and dreams of our community in our souls. This intrinsic connection fuels not only passion, but an unwavering determination to create positive change.

Remember Kashindi? It’s this understanding that drives me to sprint where bureaucracy stalls. When the world takes a break, our doors remain open because the needs of our community never pause. We are the unwavering presence, the bridge between immediate relief and lasting solutions, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks in the moments the world forgets.

But recognition is not enough. We yearn for support, resources and a place at the table. When refugee voices lead, solutions become community-driven and sustainable, truly transformative.

My drive doesn’t come from manuals; it comes from the refugee community itself. Their struggles are my struggles, their victories are my triumphs. This inherent connection fuels an unwavering passion that cannot be replicated. Recognise the immense potential within, invest in organisations where compassion isn’t a policy but the very essence of our existence.

Join us in demanding change. Amplify our voices, invest in organisations like Inua Advocacy, where passion is translated into action and lived experience becomes the driving force for a better future. Because they are us, and always will be.

Me at 16, navigating the trials of being an unaccompanied minor in Meheba Refugee Camp, Zambia. Borrowing shoes and trousers from a friend, striving to put my best foot forward in the face of adversity.