Kikole Hati: I saw the label later, “DEAD.”

In October 2024, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, visited Uganda. This was the third time in my UN career that I supported his visit in a communication role. As is typical for such visits, it required careful coordination between the Ugandan government and UNHCR Uganda to ensure everything went smoothly. Before I dive into the specifics, let me give you some context.

A week before Mr. Grandi’s visit to Rwamwanja refugee settlement in Kamwenge district, I was in Kiryandongo refugee settlement in Kiryandongo district, which is hosting refugees from Sudan. I was part of a media team from the UNHCR Global Communications Service in Nairobi—Donna, the producer; Moulid, the writer; and Kigali, the videographer. I served as the photographer, also responsible for ensuring we had signed consent forms from the people we were photographing.

In Kiryandongo, we spent time with an inspiring refugee who, despite the challenges of displacement, has used his skills and education to serve both his community and the host population. UNHCR is preparing a story about him, which will be available soon. Once it’s published, I’ll share the link, and I encourage you to read his story and watch him share his journey.

After Kiryandongo, we moved on to Rwamwanja refugee settlement, where Mr. Grandi was set to visit and meet refugees, asylum seekers, and local leaders. As his advance media team, we had the opportunity to visit Mahani reception center, where we met determined women who had fled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as newly arrived refugees. These stories are being shared on UNHCR’s website and social media, and I’ll share the link once they go live—please look out for them.

A few days later, Mr. Grandi, accompanied by Mamadou Dian Balde, the UNHCR Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes, Hon. Hillary Onek, Uganda’s Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, and Matthew Crentsil, UNHCR Representative in Uganda, arrived in Rwamwanja. Mr Grandi was on a three-day visit to draw global attention to the plight of refugees in Uganda.

As of October 2024, Uganda hosts over 1.75 million refugees and asylum seekers, making it the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa. Nearly 400,000 refugees have arrived in the past three years, which has strained local resources. However, Uganda remains a global leader in refugee protection, offering a model where refugees live in settlements, not camps, and enjoy the freedom of movement and the right to work.

During his visit, Mr. Grandi met with refugees and their leaders, calling for more support for Uganda’s inclusive refugee policy. His statement during the visit can be found here, and I encourage you to read it. After his field visit, he traveled to Kampala to meet with government officials, donors, partners, and UNHCR staff.

When we returned to Kampala, we set up for a piece-to-camera (PTC) recording with Mr. Grandi after his last meeting of the day. We chose a balcony location with a stunning golden sunset, but I quickly realized that by the time we finished, it would likely be too dark to film. I grabbed a video light and set it up, but I soon realized we would need an extension cord to power it.

Just as I was thinking about this, Mr. Grandi and his team arrived on set. I hurried to get the extension cord from the ICT office, then ran up two flights of stairs to power the light. By this time, it had become quite dark. When I plugged the extension cord in, the light didn’t come on. I tried multiple sockets, hoping one would work, and even swapped the power cable, thinking the adapter might be faulty. When that didn’t work, I rushed back to ICT to ask for help.

A colleague from ICT came and tried the same steps, but the light still didn’t work. He then went back down the stairs and returned with a second extension cord. When we plugged it in, the light finally came on. We had power, but we didn’t want to celebrate just yet. My supervisor and the team were still chatting with Mr. Grandi while we worked on the light. Once it was fixed and the camera was rolling, everything was ready.

As I paused to catch my breath, I glanced down at the extension cord next to my shoe and noticed the label: “DEAD.” The first cord I had tried had been faulty all along, which is why it couldn’t power the light. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself for missing such a simple detail. It happens to the best of us, and I took a photo to capture the moment. The key lesson for me that evening was to always double-check the obvious details to avoid similar situations in the future.

At the end of the day, I was exhausted but grateful. It was a reminder of how important it is to work as a team, stay calm under pressure, and find creative solutions to unexpected challenges. Above all, I was thankful for the opportunity to contribute to UNHCR’s mission, which continues to make a profound difference in the lives of millions of refugees.

The End. 

#KikoleHati #TukundaneYonna #YesuNamara #2564wd