There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a really good story. Stories move us, they give us a glimpse into different places, times, and lives. Stories are powerful tools – they can expand our hearts and our minds.
In Mogadishu, young Yemeni refugees are living side by side with Somali residents, but they often don’t get a chance to get to know each other, to hear about each other’s lives and experiences. If they did, thought our Alight Somalia team, they might realize they have more in common than they think…
Using the power of storytelling, our team organized a one event for Yemeni and Somali kids, bringing them to together to share, spend time together, and get lost in a good story.
One of the Yemeni students shared some of the most important Yemeni stories from back home.“My desk mate doesn’t know anything about Yemen,” she said, “so this is my chance to teach her about my culture through storytelling.”
The kids also had an opportunity to simply cozy up with a good book, taking time out of their day simply to read and relax,
“This session really created an unbreakable bond between the Somali kids and the Yemeni kids,” said Zaila, our Alight teammate. “It was a chance for them to get to know each other. Through sharing stories, the kids can now say that they understand a little of what it’s like to be Yemeni, or Somali. That was never there before.”
