Refugees want empowerment, not handouts
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0:01 - 0:06Currently, most refugees
live in the cities -
0:06 - 0:08rather than in the refugee camps.
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0:10 - 0:14We represent over 60 percent
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0:14 - 0:17of the number of refugees globally.
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0:19 - 0:23With the majority of refugees
living in urban areas, -
0:25 - 0:29there is a strong need
for a paradigm shift and new thinking. -
0:31 - 0:36Rather than wasting money
on building walls, -
0:38 - 0:42it would be better to spend on programs
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0:42 - 0:44to help refugees to help themselves.
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0:44 - 0:50(Applause)
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0:51 - 0:56We always have to leave behind
all our possessions. -
0:57 - 0:59But not our skills and knowledge.
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1:01 - 1:05If allowed to live a productive life,
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1:06 - 1:09refugees can help themselves
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1:09 - 1:12and contribute to the development
of their host country. -
1:15 - 1:18I was born in the city called Bukavu,
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1:18 - 1:20South Kivu,
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1:20 - 1:22in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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1:23 - 1:27I am the fifth-born
in a family of 12 children. -
1:29 - 1:33My father, a mechanic by profession,
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1:33 - 1:36worked very hard to send me to school.
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1:37 - 1:40Just like other young people,
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1:41 - 1:43I had a lot of plans and dreams.
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1:45 - 1:47I wanted to complete my studies,
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1:48 - 1:49get a nice job,
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1:50 - 1:52marry and have my own children
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1:52 - 1:54and support my family.
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1:55 - 1:57But this didn't happen.
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2:00 - 2:07War in my homeland forced me
to flee to Uganda in 2008, -
2:07 - 2:08nine years ago.
-
2:10 - 2:15My family joined
a steady exodus of refugees -
2:15 - 2:18who settled in Uganda's capital, Kampala.
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2:20 - 2:22In my country,
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2:23 - 2:25I lived already in the city,
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2:26 - 2:31and we felt Kampala was much better
than a refugee camp. -
2:34 - 2:37Refugees in the cities
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2:37 - 2:41have always been denied
international assistance, -
2:42 - 2:48even after their recognition
by UNHCR in 1997. -
2:49 - 2:55In addition to the poverty problem
we were confronted with -
2:55 - 2:57as the local urban poor,
-
2:59 - 3:02we were facing challenges
due to our refugee status, -
3:02 - 3:04such as a language barrier.
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3:05 - 3:09In Congo, the official language is French.
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3:10 - 3:12But in Uganda, it is English.
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3:13 - 3:16We didn't have access
to education and health. -
3:17 - 3:21We were exposed to harassment,
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3:21 - 3:25exploitation, intimidation
and discrimination. -
3:27 - 3:31Humanitarian organizations mostly focused
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3:31 - 3:34on the formal settlement in rural areas,
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3:35 - 3:38and there was nothing in place for us.
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3:41 - 3:43But we didn't want handouts.
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3:44 - 3:47We wanted to work and support ourselves.
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3:49 - 3:52I joined my other two colleagues in exile
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3:52 - 3:55and set up an organization
to support other refugees. -
3:57 - 4:01YARID -- Young African Refugees
for Integral Development -- -
4:02 - 4:06began as a conversation
within the Congolese community. -
4:08 - 4:10We asked the community
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4:10 - 4:14how they could organize themselves
to solve these challenges. -
4:16 - 4:20The YARID programs for support
evolve in stages, -
4:21 - 4:26progressing from soccer community,
to English language -
4:26 - 4:28to sewing livelihoods.
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4:30 - 4:34The soccer changed the energy
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4:34 - 4:37of unemployed youth
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4:37 - 4:40and connected people
from different communities. -
4:41 - 4:43The free English classes
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4:43 - 4:48help empower people to engage
with the Ugandan community, -
4:48 - 4:52allowing them to get to know
their neighbors and sell wares. -
4:54 - 4:59The vocational training program
offers livelihood skills, -
4:59 - 5:03and with them, important opportunities
for economic self-reliance. -
5:04 - 5:08We've seen so many families
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5:08 - 5:11become self-sustaining.
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5:12 - 5:15We've seen who no longer needs our help.
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5:17 - 5:21As YARID's programs have expanded,
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5:22 - 5:26it has included an increasing
range of nationalities -- -
5:27 - 5:31Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian,
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5:32 - 5:34Somalis, Ethiopian, South Sudanese.
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5:35 - 5:41Today, YARID has supported
over 3,000 refugees across Kampala -
5:42 - 5:43and continues supporting more.
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5:43 - 5:48(Applause)
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5:48 - 5:53Refugees want empowerment, not handouts.
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5:54 - 5:57We know our community better than anyone.
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5:58 - 6:03We understand the challenges
and opportunities we face -
6:03 - 6:05to become self-reliant.
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6:06 - 6:09I know better than anyone
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6:09 - 6:12that initiatives created by refugees work.
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6:13 - 6:17They need to be internationally
recognized and supported. -
6:18 - 6:20Give us the support we deserve,
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6:20 - 6:23and we will pay you back with interest.
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6:23 - 6:24Thank you so much.
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6:24 - 6:31(Applause)
- Title:
- Refugees want empowerment, not handouts
- Speaker:
- Robert Hakiza
- Description:
-
The prevailing image of where refugees live is of temporary camps in isolated areas -- but in reality, nearly 60 percent of them worldwide end up in urban areas. TED Fellow Robert Hakiza takes us inside the lives of urban refugees -- and shows us how organizations like the one that he started can provide them with the skills they need to ultimately become self-sufficient.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 06:45
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Camille Martínez accepted English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Camille Martínez edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Camille Martínez edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for Refugees want empowerment, not handouts |