20/12/2025
Yesterday, we had a deeply meaningful meeting with Lesley , reflecting on Changia Africa’s impact since 2016 and shaping our continued commitment to supporting refugees and vulnerable host communities in Kampala and Nakivale through 2026.
The conversation was grounded in evidence, lived experience, and vision. We reviewed how far we have come, what we have learned on the ground, and how we must now move into the next stage of deeper, more sustainable impact in the two regions we serve.
A central part of our discussion was Lesley’s extraordinary book, Hide and Seek, written from lived experience. Together, we shared key reflections and lessons that strongly resonate with the realities of refugees, displaced people, and marginalized host communities.
From Hide and Seek, we learned how childhood experiences, silence, fear, scarcity, and feeling “unseen” shape the way individuals view themselves and the world. The book powerfully shows that suffering does not have to define a person-and that healing begins when people reclaim their voice, worth, and responsibility for their inner world.
This message is especially relevant for communities affected by displacement, trauma, loss, and invisibility. Lesley’s journey demonstrates that even after violence, rejection, and hardship, individuals can rebuild dignity, courage, and purpose. It invites a shift from victimhood to inner strength, from scarcity to hope, and from silence to self-belief-creating pathways for healing, reconnection, and imagining a future beyond survival.
The meeting carried a rare and powerful energy-one of alignment, wisdom, and renewed commitment. It strengthened our resolve to continue working with communities not only to meet immediate needs, but also to support inner healing, leadership, and long-term transformation.
Our Recommendation
As Africa, we strongly encourage refugee leaders, community facilitators, and anyone passionate about human resilience and transformation to read Hide and Seek. The book carries unseen and often untold inspirational stories that many people need to encounter.
The book is available free in PDF format.
If you are a reader and would like a copy, please reach out to us and share your reflections after reading.
Together, we move forward-rooted in experience, guided by purpose, and committed to impact.
Conrad N. Hilton FoundationSolar Education ProjectMukiisa Humanity And Inclusion Foundation Michigan Human Trafficking Task ForceKastro ByamukamaBlessing a strangerSharon ChemelloEducational Missions AfricaSave the Children USSadiki PolepoleMandela Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders - Kenya ChapterInternational Women Space Lesley Gewin
