William

The Boy Braider

Village No 7 Rhino Refugee Camp

While a story about a male hairdresser in Kampala, Nairobi, New York, or Toronto might not make headlines, in the Rhino refugee settlement in Terego, Uganda, William, the newest braider in Village 7, is making waves. William is a 24-year-old South Sudanese refugee. He is the head of a household of 7 and a father to one child. Life after fleeing the war in South Sudan has been difficult. William lost his parents, the family lost their hopes, dreams, heritage and resources. Barely an adult at 24 years old, William was overwhelmed by the weight of responsibility in their new home in the camp. As the eldest male, he felt obligated to take the lead, knowing he would be judged harshly if he failed to care for his family. Yet, with no way to earn money in the camp, even providing necessities seemed impossible. Reflecting on life back in South Sudan only added to his sense of helplessness.

Life is hard; the family is too big to depend on only the World Food Program (WFP) rations, on some occasions we eat once a day or even go without food. Children wear torn clothes, use mats for bedding and the tarpaulin for shelter is beginning to leak. Before enrolling for this training, I had several suicidal thoughts because I couldn’t see how to help this big family. But since I joined, I found other young people like me who have been struggling, and they talk to me and counsel me. They have given my mind good energy. Together with the skilling I am getting from here, I am hopeful for a better life after graduation.

This August, the African Youth Alliance Development Organisation (AYADO)—one of 200 community partners implementing the Empowering Youth Through Data and Community Development Program (EYDCD), led by Children’s Rights and Violence Prevention Fund (CRVPF), co-implemented by gnuGrid CRB, and supported by the Mastercard Foundation—enrolled its first cohort of participants. Among them is William who is currently undertaking a three-month vocational skills training program at the AYADO Innovation & Skilling Center in the Omugo extension of the Rhino refugee settlement. William is the only male in the hairdressing class that is regarded as a female course in these parts. However, he didn’t let the teasing by his peers and community deter him. William remains steadfast in his pursuit.

“When I just started, I was like a baby that couldn’t sit properly, but now I am able to crawl on my knees and soon I will graduate and walk on my foot and establish my own salon business that will provide for me and my family.”

William has serious plans for the future—a rare privilege for many young refugees who grapple daily with the trauma of war, displacement, and the challenges of life in refugee settlements. Uganda hosts nearly one million South Sudanese refugees, a significant number of them young like William and residing in camps