At the young age of seven, Emmanuel Jal was taken from his family in South Sudan and forced to become a child soldier. Released from captivity after 5 years, Emmanuel turned to music as a way to cope with his past. Today, the globally acclaimed hip-hop artist broadcasts his message of peace and equality as an advocate for social justice and human rights.
As part of his international We Want Peace tour, Emmanuel will perform at Kakuma Refugee Camp, tomorrow, September 28, 2013. More than 10,000 refugees and members from the surrounding community are expected to attend. Hosted by FilmAid, this exciting event will include performances by local dance and music groups.
Kakuma, literally meaning “nowhere” in Swahili, is a Refugee camp located in Northwestern Kenya. Kakuma is home to more than 120,000 Refugees from across East Africa including Somalia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia.
Emmanuel has a deep understanding of our belief that everyone has a right to know where their family is. After searching and finally reconnecting with his family after 12 years of separation in his early 20’s, he is a staunch advocate for Refugees United in our efforts to reconnect families around the world.
“It took me more than 12 years to connect with my family members. I think now of the many refugees that will be able to reconnect with their lost loved ones, in a matter of days. It’s an absolutely amazing service!”—Emmanuel Jal
In his performance tomorrow, Emanuel will highlight our family tracing tool powered by Ericsson and Safaricom, and our on-the-ground efforts across East Africa. Our Outreach Volunteers have been working tirelessly to help as many people as possible find their missing loved ones. This concert marks his first ever performance at a refugee camp.
“We are so pleased that Emmanuel has chosen to come to Kakuma. His story is inspirational to many people here who have been through so much.” –German Vega Cortez, Refugees United Kakuma Project Coordinator
Please visit www.refunite.org if you are looking for missing family. You can also call 0800 724 882, or dial *883# to access the tool from Kenya, or dial 62014 from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For more information please contact Communications Manager, Ida Jeng: Ij@refunite.org
