This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
On World Refugee Day, June 20, 2020, the story of Suud Olat, a 29-year-old refugee who grew up in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya, stood out as one of the most inspiring stories of scaling the heights from the ruts of hopelessness.
At just six months old, Olat's family fled Somalia due to civil war in 1991 and settled in the Dadaab Refugee Camp. For 20 years, he lived in the camp, surviving on food rations from the United Nations until 2012 when he got the chance to travel to the United States.
Today, Olat is on the verge of becoming a Ward 6 Council Member in the Minneapolis City Council in Minnesota. He is running on a platform that includes addressing affordable housing, community-led public safety, and empowering small business and entrepreneurs.
“I want to bring change to the lives of the African immigrant community in Minneapolis and Minnesota where there is a huge African presence,” Olat said in an interview.
“There is a huge gap in public housing, education especially of the girl child, health and economic inequality. This is what has inspired me to run for this position,” he added.
Despite the challenges he faced in the refugee camp, Olat managed to go to school with the support of his parents. He credits his education for empowering him to share his voice and advocate for the rights of refugees.
“My educational background, experience, and identity have empowered me to share my voice. Without my basic education, I would not be who I am today,” Olat said.
He believes that world leaders have the responsibility to use their power and influence to change the lives of refugees by allocating adequate resources, establishing comprehensive policies, finding lasting solutions, and championing for their rights.
“If world leaders do not take action, then they will have failed in their responsibilities. Without education for all refugee children and migrants, we could be losing an entire generation,” Olat observes.
