Dennis Okwera: ‘Let’s Be Kinder To Every Different, Particularly Refugees’

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Background:

At BoF VOICES 2022, style mannequin Dennis Okwera spoke about his childhood in Uganda, fleeing dwelling to keep away from the violent lifetime of changing into a toddler soldier within the insurgent group Lord’s Resistance Military, coming to the UK as a refugee on the age of 9.

Although he was scouted a number of instances whereas residing within the UK, it wasn’t till he was attending college that Okwera determined to pursue modelling.

This week on the BoF podcast, mannequin Okwera discusses his childhood escaping a guerilla military in Uganda, his grownup life as a mannequin within the UK and the way he used his success to present again to his group.

“Let’s simply be a bit bit kinder to one another, particularly to refugees. Simply see them with an open mindset; we’re simply in search of safety and freedom, that’s it actually,” stated Okwera.

Key Insights:

• After Okwera was scouted he stated at first his father objected to the concept of him modelling. “The primary time I received scouted, my dad was like; ‘No, no, you’re not doing it.’ You already know, that is an African dad who thinks something outdoors of schooling is a whole failure,” he says
• When Okwera first began his modelling profession he had the chance to work with designer Grace Wales Bonner when she was nonetheless a scholar attending Central Saint Martins.
• Due to his profession in modelling, Okwera was capable of put his cousins by way of faculty and assist his aunt who was identified with HIV. Okwera says the “sole objective” of him pursuing a modelling profession was to assist his household.
• After travelling again to Uganda to donate sanitary necessities like diapers and components, Okwera reunited along with his mom after 24 years of being away. “I didn’t know what it was wish to have your personal mum,” stated Okwera.

Further Sources:

• BoF VOICES 2022: Reside Your Finest Life: Throughout final yr’s BoF VOICES mannequin Dennis Okwera mentioned his childhood escaping the insurgent group, Lord’s Resistance Military and fleeing Uganda to dwell within the UK.