My Story-From Ashes to Art: A Journey from Survival to Purpose By Kulimushi Bashige

It was a dry, dusty morning in Kakuma refugee camp when I first stood under a small tree with nothing but a notebook in my hand. Around me, life moved slowly: 8 people fetching water, kids playing with bottle caps, and families rebuilding lives out of what remained. For me, it was the beginning of everything. That quiet moment in Kakuma wasn’t ordinary. It was the first time I truly saw the blank page as a place where dreams could be drawn, shaped, and shared.

My journey began not with a dream, but with displacement. I fled my village due to ethnic conflict that tore families apart. My own family, Rwandan and Congolese, was caught in the middle. Houses were burned, trust broken. We ran for safety, and Kakuma became our new home. As a teenager, I struggled to make sense of my identity in a place where pain was common but stories were rarely told. I had no camera, no canvas, no stage just curiosity and a will to learn.

In Kakuma, I started attending community trainings. I volunteered, swept floors, and asked questions. I was drawn to art not just the visual kind, but the art of communication, storytelling, and innovation. It wasn’t until I joined a digital skills program that I realized: I could use graphic design and media to share refugee stories that the world never hears. My purpose was clear to use creativity as a bridge between forgotten voices and global ears.

I started from scratch, teaching myself design, writing, and digital marketing using shared computers and borrowed time. I moved from a security guard to a learning facilitator, and eventually a digital media manager. Each step was a battle against limitation but with every design I made, every post I shared, I felt myself transform. Art turned from a tool of expression into a force for empowerment.

My art blends design, storytelling, and technology. I create visuals that highlight refugee resilience, logos for local initiatives, and campaigns that advocate for education, peace, and opportunity. Through BinadamuTech, a youth club I co-founded, we train others in digital skills, photography, and design, helping young people realize that they too can be creators, not just survivors.

Refugees are often seen as statistics, but behind every number is a story, a soul, an artist waiting to emerge. My work matters because it shifts the narrative. It gives young people tools to tell their own stories. It creates jobs, hope, and identity. In a world quick to label, my art insists that we see humanity, dreams, and dignity in displaced people.

I dream of building a Creative Lab, a space where young refugees like me can access tools, mentorship, and the internet to create art, start digital businesses, and reach global platforms.

Every piece I create is a reflection of the strength I’ve gained through challenges and the hope I’ve found in my journey. Through Maak Impact, I aim to continue inspiring others, reminding them that no matter how dark life may seem, there’s always light—a truth I’ve learned by envisioning the world through spiritual art.