On June 20, members of the Refugee Olympic team joined us as our special guests at the World Refugee Day 5k in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. The team ran alongside refugees from Nakivale, and Rose and Kadar from the team actually won the women’s and men’s divisions, respectively.
It was at times an emotional visit for the refugee Olympians. Visiting schools in Nakivale brought them back to their own childhoods in refugee camps. But they left a message with young people to always keep reaching for what you want and never give up.
While we were getting to know the Olympians, we learned that the center where they train in Kenya needed a few things. Their champions, the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, had seen promise in the refugee athletes and brought them each to Nairobi. There they train together and live together.
One of the foundation’s most critical goals for these young hopefuls is to make sure they get an education. Many haven’t been to school in years. The Foundation believes that “education liberates the mind and opens opportunities for alternative means of livelihoods as well as disharming the minds of young people.”
So, when they’re not training, these Olympic hopefuls are getting an education – attending class and studying.
But as we walked around Nakivale refugee settlement, we learned the team needed some basics to help with their education. First, they needed some books. So, on Day 213, we created a little library corner at the Olympians’ training center.
With a couple of plants and a brand new bookshelf loaded up with helpful books like dictionaries and encyclopedias, it’s now a corner where the athletes can sit down and get to work. A place where they can pursue their own advice – reach for the stars and never give up.
