[Music] I’m Claire Morneau and like many of you
I’m Claire Morneau and like many of you
I’m Claire Morneau and like many of you here today I’m from Toronto I’m 17 years
here today I’m from Toronto I’m 17 years
here today I’m from Toronto I’m 17 years old and I’m in grade 12 and I was born
old and I’m in grade 12 and I was born
old and I’m in grade 12 and I was born and raised in Canada I’m also the author
and raised in Canada I’m also the author
and raised in Canada I’m also the author of the book you see right there Kakuma
of the book you see right there Kakuma
of the book you see right there Kakuma girls so what I really want to tell you
girls so what I really want to tell you
girls so what I really want to tell you about today are my experiences with
about today are my experiences with
about today are my experiences with Kakuma refugee camp and the refugee
Kakuma refugee camp and the refugee
Kakuma refugee camp and the refugee girls living there so my talk today is
girls living there so my talk today is
girls living there so my talk today is really about the challenges that refugee
really about the challenges that refugee
really about the challenges that refugee girls face when trying to get an
girls face when trying to get an
girls face when trying to get an education and how we can mobilize youth
education and how we can mobilize youth
education and how we can mobilize youth to be engaged in our efforts to help
to be engaged in our efforts to help
to be engaged in our efforts to help refugees so I’m sure many of you know
refugees so I’m sure many of you know
refugees so I’m sure many of you know that in many parts of the world
that in many parts of the world
that in many parts of the world it can be extremely difficult for girls
it can be extremely difficult for girls
it can be extremely difficult for girls to get an education and I’m sure that
to get an education and I’m sure that
to get an education and I’m sure that many of you also know that if girls
many of you also know that if girls
many of you also know that if girls don’t get an education we all lose
don’t get an education we all lose
don’t get an education we all lose so I want to tell you a bit about my
so I want to tell you a bit about my
so I want to tell you a bit about my story today
story today
story today a story that really started out of
a story that really started out of
a story that really started out of friendship so a couple of years ago I
friendship so a couple of years ago I
friendship so a couple of years ago I decided to start a discussion between my
decided to start a discussion between my
decided to start a discussion between my school here in Toronto patrocle college
school here in Toronto patrocle college
school here in Toronto patrocle college and a girls boarding school in Kakuma
and a girls boarding school in Kakuma
and a girls boarding school in Kakuma refugee camp Kakuma refugee camp is a
refugee camp Kakuma refugee camp is a
refugee camp Kakuma refugee camp is a place near the border of South Sudan a
place near the border of South Sudan a
place near the border of South Sudan a dusty desolate place where nearly a
dusty desolate place where nearly a
dusty desolate place where nearly a hundred and fifty thousand people live
hundred and fifty thousand people live
hundred and fifty thousand people live people who fled from war famine and
people who fled from war famine and
people who fled from war famine and impossibly difficult conditions so I’m
impossibly difficult conditions so I’m
impossibly difficult conditions so I’m sure many of you know that the issue of
sure many of you know that the issue of
sure many of you know that the issue of refugees is an extremely challenging one
refugees is an extremely challenging one
refugees is an extremely challenging one at the moment because of climate change
at the moment because of climate change
at the moment because of climate change large portions of our world are becoming
large portions of our world are becoming
large portions of our world are becoming inhospitable and because of religious
inhospitable and because of religious
inhospitable and because of religious conflicts between and within countries
conflicts between and within countries
conflicts between and within countries people are being displaced at a rate
people are being displaced at a rate
people are being displaced at a rate never before seen at the moment there
never before seen at the moment there
never before seen at the moment there are more than 65 million refugees and
are more than 65 million refugees and
are more than 65 million refugees and displaced people around the world which
displaced people around the world which
displaced people around the world which is pretty shocking
is pretty shocking
is pretty shocking so I decided to start this conversation
so I decided to start this conversation
so I decided to start this conversation with girls from my school and girls in
with girls from my school and girls in
with girls from my school and girls in Kakuma so girls at Harvard oh my school
Kakuma so girls at Harvard oh my school
Kakuma so girls at Harvard oh my school started writing letters we’ve sent some
started writing letters we’ve sent some
started writing letters we’ve sent some letters we sent some books we had a few
letters we sent some books we had a few
letters we sent some books we had a few Skype calls because we really wanted to
Skype calls because we really wanted to
Skype calls because we really wanted to get connected connected to this place in
get connected connected to this place in
get connected connected to this place in a different part of the world where
a different part of the world where
a different part of the world where heavy rainfall can mean floods that
heavy rainfall can mean floods that
heavy rainfall can mean floods that sweep away houses where rape is an
sweep away houses where rape is an
sweep away houses where rape is an everyday fear where people can go days
everyday fear where people can go days
everyday fear where people can go days without food we’re getting an education
without food we’re getting an education
without food we’re getting an education as a girl can be an intensely difficult
as a girl can be an intensely difficult
as a girl can be an intensely difficult experience because girls often feel like
experience because girls often feel like
experience because girls often feel like they need to stay home and do chores or
they need to stay home and do chores or
they need to stay home and do chores or they need to marry young to support
they need to marry young to support
they need to marry young to support their families or because they fear
their families or because they fear
their families or because they fear violence on long walks to school or
violence on long walks to school or
violence on long walks to school or simply because they don’t have access to
simply because they don’t have access to
simply because they don’t have access to sanitary pads so they don’t go to school
sanitary pads so they don’t go to school
sanitary pads so they don’t go to school when they’re on their periods which is
when they’re on their periods which is
when they’re on their periods which is pretty shocking so I’ve started writing
pretty shocking so I’ve started writing
pretty shocking so I’ve started writing this book after reading a letter from a
this book after reading a letter from a
this book after reading a letter from a girl Rita in my room one night I thought
girl Rita in my room one night I thought
girl Rita in my room one night I thought someone needs to tell these stories
someone needs to tell these stories
someone needs to tell these stories stories of girls who are fighting to get
stories of girls who are fighting to get
stories of girls who are fighting to get an education in an intensely difficult
an education in an intensely difficult
an education in an intensely difficult place so this book really is about
place so this book really is about
place so this book really is about raising awareness about the lives of
raising awareness about the lives of
raising awareness about the lives of refugee girls in Kakuma refugee camp and
refugee girls in Kakuma refugee camp and
refugee girls in Kakuma refugee camp and it’s it’s an effort to bridge the
it’s it’s an effort to bridge the
it’s it’s an effort to bridge the enormous gulf between the experience we
enormous gulf between the experience we
enormous gulf between the experience we have living here in Canada in such a
have living here in Canada in such a
have living here in Canada in such a peaceful country and the experiences
peaceful country and the experiences
peaceful country and the experiences refugee girls have in Kakuma refugee
refugee girls have in Kakuma refugee
refugee girls have in Kakuma refugee camp I personally believe that stories
camp I personally believe that stories
camp I personally believe that stories are a very compelling way to get across
are a very compelling way to get across
are a very compelling way to get across messages and to help people understand
messages and to help people understand
messages and to help people understand what life is like in a very different
what life is like in a very different
what life is like in a very different place so when I was done writing my book
place so when I was done writing my book
place so when I was done writing my book I sent a copy to the UNHCR because they
I sent a copy to the UNHCR because they
I sent a copy to the UNHCR because they had been extremely helpful in all of my
had been extremely helpful in all of my
had been extremely helpful in all of my efforts and they really wanted to make
efforts and they really wanted to make
efforts and they really wanted to make sure that people understood the
sure that people understood the
sure that people understood the difficulties that girls faced so a
difficulties that girls faced so a
difficulties that girls faced so a couple of months ago my mom and I
couple of months ago my mom and I
couple of months ago my mom and I received the opportunity to try
received the opportunity to try
received the opportunity to try to Kakuma refugee camp with the UN to
to Kakuma refugee camp with the UN to
to Kakuma refugee camp with the UN to meet the girls who I had been talking to
meet the girls who I had been talking to
meet the girls who I had been talking to for three years the girls who had become
for three years the girls who had become
for three years the girls who had become my friends the girls who had rest’
my friends the girls who had rest’
my friends the girls who had rest’ revealed the most intimate details of
revealed the most intimate details of
revealed the most intimate details of their lives to me so that I could tell
their lives to me so that I could tell
their lives to me so that I could tell their stories so Kakuma is really not an
their stories so Kakuma is really not an
their stories so Kakuma is really not an easy place to get to you fly from
easy place to get to you fly from
easy place to get to you fly from Toronto to London London to Nairobi and
Toronto to London London to Nairobi and
Toronto to London London to Nairobi and then take a United Nations plane to a
then take a United Nations plane to a
then take a United Nations plane to a dusty desolate airstrip in the isolated
dusty desolate airstrip in the isolated
dusty desolate airstrip in the isolated refugee camp near the South Sudan border
refugee camp near the South Sudan border
refugee camp near the South Sudan border only then do you get in a secure envoy
only then do you get in a secure envoy
only then do you get in a secure envoy to go to the UN compounds in the camp so
to go to the UN compounds in the camp so
to go to the UN compounds in the camp so my mom and I were in Nairobi very
my mom and I were in Nairobi very
my mom and I were in Nairobi very excited to go to Kakuma and we spent a
excited to go to Kakuma and we spent a
excited to go to Kakuma and we spent a couple days meeting with the UN there
couple days meeting with the UN there
couple days meeting with the UN there and the World Food Programme to learn
and the World Food Programme to learn
and the World Food Programme to learn about some of the challenges facing
about some of the challenges facing
about some of the challenges facing refugees in Kakuma so we went to bed
refugees in Kakuma so we went to bed
refugees in Kakuma so we went to bed really excited to go to Kakuma the next
really excited to go to Kakuma the next
really excited to go to Kakuma the next morning but at 2:30 a.m. we got a phone
morning but at 2:30 a.m. we got a phone
morning but at 2:30 a.m. we got a phone call from Ottawa it was not good news
call from Ottawa it was not good news
call from Ottawa it was not good news the Canadian government had identified a
the Canadian government had identified a
the Canadian government had identified a specific terrorist threat against
specific terrorist threat against
specific terrorist threat against Westerners entering the camp the very
Westerners entering the camp the very
Westerners entering the camp the very next day we were the only Westerners
next day we were the only Westerners
next day we were the only Westerners entering the camp the next day so we
entering the camp the next day so we
entering the camp the next day so we tried to go back to sleep but then we
tried to go back to sleep but then we
tried to go back to sleep but then we got a phone call from the Canadian
got a phone call from the Canadian
got a phone call from the Canadian ambassador to Kenya telling us that his
ambassador to Kenya telling us that his
ambassador to Kenya telling us that his deputy minister and chief of security
deputy minister and chief of security
deputy minister and chief of security were waiting for us in the lobby of our
were waiting for us in the lobby of our
were waiting for us in the lobby of our hotel so at 5:30 in the morning we learn
hotel so at 5:30 in the morning we learn
hotel so at 5:30 in the morning we learn that al-shabaab the Somali arm of
that al-shabaab the Somali arm of
that al-shabaab the Somali arm of al-qaida one of the most terrifying
al-qaida one of the most terrifying
al-qaida one of the most terrifying terrorist groups on the planet could be
terrorist groups on the planet could be
terrorist groups on the planet could be specifically targeting us since neither
specifically targeting us since neither
specifically targeting us since neither my mom nor I particularly wanted to star
my mom nor I particularly wanted to star
my mom nor I particularly wanted to star in the refugee camp rendition of the
in the refugee camp rendition of the
in the refugee camp rendition of the movie taken we decided that we could not
movie taken we decided that we could not
movie taken we decided that we could not go and as it turns out our decision
go and as it turns out our decision
go and as it turns out our decision really didn’t matter because the
really didn’t matter because the
really didn’t matter because the Canadian government decided that under
Canadian government decided that under
Canadian government decided that under no circumstances would we be traveling
no circumstances would we be traveling
no circumstances would we be traveling into the camp but if you didn’t think
into the camp but if you didn’t think
into the camp but if you didn’t think the UNHCR was great before
the UNHCR was great before
the UNHCR was great before they decided to fly five refugee girls
they decided to fly five refugee girls
they decided to fly five refugee girls five of my friends to Nairobi to meet
five of my friends to Nairobi to meet
five of my friends to Nairobi to meet with me and what I heard from those
with me and what I heard from those
with me and what I heard from those girls made me cry
girls made me cry
girls made me cry so today I want to tell you some of
so today I want to tell you some of
so today I want to tell you some of their stories
their stories
their stories Sarah a New York geek is a South
Sarah a New York geek is a South
Sarah a New York geek is a South Sudanese refugee when she was a little
Sudanese refugee when she was a little
Sudanese refugee when she was a little girl her father was killed during a
girl her father was killed during a
girl her father was killed during a disruption by the Sudanese people’s
disruption by the Sudanese people’s
disruption by the Sudanese people’s liberation movement soon after she
liberation movement soon after she
liberation movement soon after she watched as her pregnant mother was shot
watched as her pregnant mother was shot
watched as her pregnant mother was shot and then taken to a hospital by the
and then taken to a hospital by the
and then taken to a hospital by the Kenyan Red Cross at five years old
Kenyan Red Cross at five years old
Kenyan Red Cross at five years old Sarah was left alone in war-torn Sudan
Sarah was left alone in war-torn Sudan
Sarah was left alone in war-torn Sudan and had to fend for herself until one of
and had to fend for herself until one of
and had to fend for herself until one of her neighbours found her
her neighbours found her
her neighbours found her several months later Sarah miraculously
several months later Sarah miraculously
several months later Sarah miraculously heard news that her mother was alive in
heard news that her mother was alive in
heard news that her mother was alive in a Kenyan hospital and she traveled to
a Kenyan hospital and she traveled to
a Kenyan hospital and she traveled to the hospital only to find her mother
the hospital only to find her mother
the hospital only to find her mother living there with no money for food or
living there with no money for food or
living there with no money for food or clothing for her newborn baby after
clothing for her newborn baby after
clothing for her newborn baby after three months of living in this hospital
three months of living in this hospital
three months of living in this hospital Sarah and her family were transported to
Sarah and her family were transported to
Sarah and her family were transported to Kakuma refugee camp by the UNHCR Sarah
Kakuma refugee camp by the UNHCR Sarah
Kakuma refugee camp by the UNHCR Sarah didn’t go to school until she was ten
didn’t go to school until she was ten
didn’t go to school until she was ten years old
years old
years old Sarah doesn’t have a father and her
Sarah doesn’t have a father and her
Sarah doesn’t have a father and her mother cannot take care of her because
mother cannot take care of her because
mother cannot take care of her because she has disabilities from her gunshot
she has disabilities from her gunshot
she has disabilities from her gunshot wounds somehow Sarah has made it through
wounds somehow Sarah has made it through
wounds somehow Sarah has made it through all of these challenges and through high
all of these challenges and through high
all of these challenges and through high school all she wants is to go to
school all she wants is to go to
school all she wants is to go to university and to have a life in a
university and to have a life in a
university and to have a life in a peaceful country she wants to make a
peaceful country she wants to make a
peaceful country she wants to make a life for herself and her family that
life for herself and her family that
life for herself and her family that brings me to Esther Nikon Esther knows
brings me to Esther Nikon Esther knows
brings me to Esther Nikon Esther knows what true hopelessness feels like Esther
what true hopelessness feels like Esther
what true hopelessness feels like Esther fled to Kakuma refugee camp from South
fled to Kakuma refugee camp from South
fled to Kakuma refugee camp from South Sudan with her mother and her two
Sudan with her mother and her two
Sudan with her mother and her two sisters the journey was long and
sisters the journey was long and
sisters the journey was long and dangerous and she almost died along the
dangerous and she almost died along the
dangerous and she almost died along the way
sorry but somehow Esther survived that
sorry but somehow Esther survived that journey and ended up in Kakuma refugee
journey and ended up in Kakuma refugee
journey and ended up in Kakuma refugee camp and last year Esther’s grandfather
camp and last year Esther’s grandfather
camp and last year Esther’s grandfather sponsored her older sister to go to
sponsored her older sister to go to
sponsored her older sister to go to University in Nairobi but halfway
University in Nairobi but halfway
University in Nairobi but halfway through her first semester her
through her first semester her
through her first semester her grandfather died an Esther sister had no
grandfather died an Esther sister had no
grandfather died an Esther sister had no money to continue she had to go back to
money to continue she had to go back to
money to continue she had to go back to Kakuma there is no hope in Kakuma for
Kakuma there is no hope in Kakuma for
Kakuma there is no hope in Kakuma for Esther her only hope is her connection
Esther her only hope is her connection
Esther her only hope is her connection with hierarchal girls she hears about
with hierarchal girls she hears about
with hierarchal girls she hears about our lives in Canada and she is filled
our lives in Canada and she is filled
our lives in Canada and she is filled with the desire to learn and to make a
with the desire to learn and to make a
with the desire to learn and to make a better life for herself
Lulla mod har is one of the smartest
Lulla mod har is one of the smartest people I have ever met she was born in
people I have ever met she was born in
people I have ever met she was born in Kakuma refugee camp
Kakuma refugee camp
Kakuma refugee camp she knows no life but the life of a
she knows no life but the life of a
she knows no life but the life of a refugee
refugee
refugee she has no country no nationality and no
she has no country no nationality and no
she has no country no nationality and no home last year
home last year
home last year Lula’s family was given the chance to
Lula’s family was given the chance to
Lula’s family was given the chance to relocate to the United States they gave
relocate to the United States they gave
relocate to the United States they gave away everything they owned including
away everything they owned including
away everything they owned including their home to friends in the camp
their home to friends in the camp
their home to friends in the camp because they knew that they would have a
because they knew that they would have a
because they knew that they would have a better life once relocated but when
better life once relocated but when
better life once relocated but when Lula’s family reached nairobi one of her
Lula’s family reached nairobi one of her
Lula’s family reached nairobi one of her brothers was missing a fingerprint so
brothers was missing a fingerprint so
brothers was missing a fingerprint so her whole entire family was sent back to
her whole entire family was sent back to
her whole entire family was sent back to Kakuma refugee camp they had to rebuild
Kakuma refugee camp they had to rebuild
Kakuma refugee camp they had to rebuild their entire life to this day
their entire life to this day
their entire life to this day Lulla still cries when she hears
Lulla still cries when she hears
Lulla still cries when she hears airplanes but through all of this she
airplanes but through all of this she
airplanes but through all of this she wants to be a neurosurgeon she wants to
wants to be a neurosurgeon she wants to
wants to be a neurosurgeon she wants to live in the Canada that she has read
live in the Canada that she has read
live in the Canada that she has read about in letters she wants to make a
about in letters she wants to make a
about in letters she wants to make a better life for her family and really
better life for her family and really
better life for her family and really more than anything she wants a home
more than anything she wants a home
more than anything she wants a home so by raising awareness and by helping
so by raising awareness and by helping
so by raising awareness and by helping some of these girls to get a university
some of these girls to get a university
some of these girls to get a university education I hope to inspire Canadians to
education I hope to inspire Canadians to
education I hope to inspire Canadians to be a part of our efforts to come up with
be a part of our efforts to come up with
be a part of our efforts to come up with a solution to end this global problem
a solution to end this global problem
a solution to end this global problem the issue of displaced people is not one
the issue of displaced people is not one
the issue of displaced people is not one that will go away the only way to help
that will go away the only way to help
that will go away the only way to help these refugees and displaced people all
these refugees and displaced people all
these refugees and displaced people all around the world is for us to stand
around the world is for us to stand
around the world is for us to stand together and come up with a solution
together and come up with a solution
together and come up with a solution every single one of you here has a
every single one of you here has a
every single one of you here has a platform and should know that change is
platform and should know that change is
platform and should know that change is possible more than anything I hope to
possible more than anything I hope to
possible more than anything I hope to share the message that education is what
share the message that education is what
share the message that education is what will create the leaders of tomorrow I
will create the leaders of tomorrow I
will create the leaders of tomorrow I know from personal experience that girls
know from personal experience that girls
know from personal experience that girls like Rita girls like Esther Sarah Lula
like Rita girls like Esther Sarah Lula
like Rita girls like Esther Sarah Lula they are the hope for tomorrow and my
they are the hope for tomorrow and my
they are the hope for tomorrow and my friends like millions of others can be
friends like millions of others can be
friends like millions of others can be part of a better world
part of a better world
part of a better world these Kakuma girls have intense
these Kakuma girls have intense
these Kakuma girls have intense determination and perseverance an
determination and perseverance an
determination and perseverance an unlimited potential and all they need at
unlimited potential and all they need at
unlimited potential and all they need at this point is the opportunity to unleash
this point is the opportunity to unleash
this point is the opportunity to unleash it thank you
it thank you
it thank you [Applause]
”
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