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Currently, most refugees
live in the cities

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rather than in the refugee camps.

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We represent over 60 percent

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of the number of refugees globally.

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With the majority of refugees
living in urban areas,

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there is a strong need
for a paradigm shift and new thinking.

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Rather than wasting money
on building walls,

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it would be better to spend on programs

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to help refugees to help themselves.

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(Applause)

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We always have to leave behind
all our possessions.

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But not our skills and knowledge.

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If allowed to live a productive life,

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refugees can help themselves

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and contribute to the development
of their host country.

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I was born in the city called Bukavu,

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South Kivu,

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in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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I am the fifth-born
in a family of 12 children.

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My father, a mechanic by profession,

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worked very hard to send me to school.

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Just like other young people,

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I had a lot of plans and dreams.

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I wanted to complete my studies,

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get a nice job,

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marry and have my own children

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and support my family.

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But this didn't happen.

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War in my homeland forced me
to flee to Uganda in 2008,

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nine years ago.

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My family joined
a steady exodus of refugees

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who settled in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

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In my country,

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I lived already in the city,

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and we felt Kampala was much better
than a refugee camp.

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Refugees in the cities

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have always been denied
international assistance,

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even after their recognition
by UNHCR in 1997.

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In addition to the poverty problem
we were confronted with

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as the local urban poor,

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we were facing challenges
due to our refugee status,

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such as a language barrier.

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In Congo, the official language is French.

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But in Uganda, it is English.

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We didn't have access
to education and health.

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We were exposed to harassment,

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exploitation, intimidation
and discrimination.

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Humanitarian organizations mostly focused

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on the formal settlement in rural areas,

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and there was nothing in place for us.

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But we didn't want handouts.

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We wanted to work and support ourselves.

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I joined my other two colleagues in exile

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and set up an organization
to support other refugees.

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YARID -- Young African Refugees
for Integral Development --

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began as a conversation
within the Congolese community.

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We asked the community

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how they could organize themselves
to solve these challenges.

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The YARID programs for support
evolve in stages,

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progressing from soccer community,
to English language

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to sewing livelihoods.

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The soccer changed the energy

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of unemployed youth

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and connected people
from different communities.

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The free English classes

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help empower people to engage
with the Ugandan community,

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allowing them to get to know
their neighbors and sell wares.

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The vocational training program
offers livelihood skills,

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and with them, important opportunities
for economic self-reliance.

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We've seen so many families

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become self-sustaining.

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We've seen who no longer needs our help.

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As YARID's programs have expanded,

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it has included an increasing
range of nationalities --

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Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian,

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Somalis, Ethiopian, South Sudanese.

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Today, YARID has supported
over 3,000 refugees across Kampala

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and continues supporting more.

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(Applause)

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Refugees want empowerment, not handouts.

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We know our community better than anyone.

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We understand the challenges
and opportunities we face

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to become self-reliant.

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I know better than anyone

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that initiatives created by refugees work.

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They need to be internationally
recognized and supported.

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Give us the support we deserve,

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and we will pay you back with interest.

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Thank you so much.

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(Applause)