6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
Established in 1958, Nakivale Refugee Settlement is one of the oldest refugee camps in the world. It’s also filled with unexpected surprises, innovation, beauty, and determination around every corner. Nakivale—and the people who live there—proves that a refugee camp doesn’t automatically equal scarcity and tragedy. Instead, it can be a place brimming with hope, community, and abundance.
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
1
Opportunigee
You might not associate refugee camps with hubs for startup activity. But for the refugee-run startup Opportunigee, that’s exactly how they see things. Based inside Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, Opportunigee is a non-profit and learning space where young entrepreneurs are creating their own opportunities, uncovering their passions, and working together to make Nakivale a place that’s teeming with creativity. Instead of letting other organizations decide how the settlement looks, feels, and operates, the folks at Opportunigee are paving their own way, determined to not only make Nakivale as good a place to live as anywhere else, but better.
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
2
YOGA CLASSES AT THE AMPHITHEATRE
One of Opportunigee’s projects is the amphitheatre, located inside Nakivale. It’s a place where people can gather, perform, or learn about things happening at the settlement. It’s a way to encourage a feeling of community, of coming together to celebrate or simply enjoy each other’s company. Now, the amphitheatre is even being used as a gathering spot to practice yoga, inviting everyone in to experience a few minutes of calm, to do something good for your body.
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
3
A MUSIC STUDIO
Music has the power to heal the soul. No one knows this better than Barious, a DJ, dancer, and musician who lives in Nakivale. His dream was to open a music studio, where he and his friends could come together to record music and “train younger generations how to compose songs and record music.” With the help of our Changemakers 365 initiative, Barious was able to put the finishing touches on the studio, complete with a keyboard, mixer, microphones, and headphones. “There are a lot of people in Nakivale making amazing music. Now, we can capture that music and share with the world so they can see the talent we have here.”
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
4
STUNNING ART INSTALLATIONS
The look of Opportunigee’s space alone is enough to draw someone in. It’s filled with beautiful mural art, a stage, and a funky circular building made with repurposed plastic bottles. What’s more is that the outside is only a taste of the energy within—these young people are colorful, vibrant, and filled with determination to make a difference. And, their vibrancy and determination have rippled out of their own center to the rest of Nakivale, as they construct incredible art installations that are a joy to behold. People pass by the art and sculptures on the way to the market, on the way to school, during the daily routines of life. But it’s a reminder that beauty exists here, just for them.
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
5
FLYING ACROBATS
The Nakivale Acrobats are one of the more unexpected groups you find in Nakivale Refugee Settlement—a group of young men walking on tightrope, tumbling, juggling and contorting to the “oohs” and “ahhs” of visitors and settlement residents alike. Patrick, the team captain, has helped train these young athletes how to have confidence in their bodies, that they’re capable of doing incredible things. It’s a lesson they’ll apply to every part of their life—school, home, friends—and that they’ll bring with them far into the future.
6 Unexpectedly Cool Things in One of the Oldest Refugee Camps
6
THE WORLD REFUGEE DAY 5K
The World Refugee Day 5k is a race unlike any other. It gathers refugees in Nakivale, Ugandans from throughout the country, and friends and supporters from all over the world to come together and celebrate something simple—possibility. People who never thought running a 5k was possible cross the finish line. Those who have gone through terrible suffering and instability come together to celebrate a joyous moment of unity. Music and cheers reverberate throughout the settlement. It might be unexpected, but Nakivale is the perfect place for this one-of-a-kind event to grow and thrive.