You Don’t Wait for Luck. You Build It.
I used to think success was about luck.
That maybe, just maybe, if you were in the right place at the right time, things would finally change.
But the longer I’ve lived in Kakuma, the more I’ve seen something different.
Luck isn’t given. It’s built.
Especially when you're born in a place where the world expects nothing from you.
I’ve Seen Luck Built From the Ground Up
When people imagine refugees, they think of struggle. Suffering. Survival.
But I’ve seen something else:
People who wake up every day and build something — out of almost nothing.
- Bahana Hydrogene didn’t wait for funding. He co-founded Solidarity Initiative for Refugees and helped train hundreds of youth in digital literacy.
- Mauridi Ramadhan launched AREL and gave refugees tools to start small businesses in a camp that has none.
- Adele Mubalama started with a sewing machine. She now employs more than 20 people — in a refugee camp.
- Samuel Binja co-founded KI4BLI and is building peace through education.
None of these leaders had perfect conditions.
What they had was consistency, clarity, and courage.
They created luck. They didn’t wait for it.
Even Globally — Refugees Are Building
We’ve seen it on the world stage too:
- Yusra Mardini swam a sinking boat to safety. Then swam at the Olympics.
- Maya Ghazal became the first female Syrian refugee pilot.
- Muzabel Welongo turned Resilience Action International into a globally recognized education model.
- Deline Ramiro is fighting for refugee girls to learn — and to lead.
These aren’t isolated stories. They’re proof of a pattern.
If You’re Reading This From a Camp — Listen
No one is coming to discover you.
You don’t need to be discovered.
Start where you are. With what you have.
Write the proposal. Launch the idea. Teach the child. Learn the skill. Build the team.
That’s what luck looks like in real life.
Real Luck Is Built — With Sweat and Courage
We can’t afford to wait to be chosen.
Because the most underestimated people are often the ones who make it — quietly, persistently, intentionally.
If you feel unseen right now — good.
That’s where most builders start.
So build.