Rooted in Exile: Preserving Culture in African Refugee Communities
Culture and tradition have long stood as pillars of African society, shaping the identities, behaviours, and worldviews of individuals and communities alike. For African children and adults, these elements are not merely ceremonial, they inform social structures, define spiritual beliefs, transmit knowledge, and offer meaningful frameworks for addressing governance and environmental issues. Among displaced populations, however, these foundational elements often face erosion. Refugee camps and communities present a particular challenge to maintaining cultural integrity, Gregory Scarborough the author...
Empowering Youth: Honoring Courage, Fighting for Change & Shaping a Better Future
In June, we celebrate Youth Month in South Africa, marked by an annual event on June 16. The national holiday commemorates the Soweto uprising, a youth-led protest that challenged the former apartheid government. The protest took place on June 16, 1976, after over a year of mounting frustration from Black communities across South Africa due to a new policy that required Afrikaans and English to be the only languages taught in Black schools. It entailed upwards of 20,000 participants and...
"We Made This!": a Video Documentary on the Journey and Difficulties of Children on the Move
We are proud to share with you the “We Made This!” video. The video was shown during the “The Need to Belong: Pathways Towards Durable Solutions” conference, which we held, together with the Scalabrini Center of Cape Town and the Commissioner for Children in the Western Cape, between the 25th and 27th September 2024.
Insights and recommendations from the "The need to belong: pathways towards durable solutions" Conference
Between Wednesday, September 25, and Friday, September 27, we held the conference “The need to belong: pathways towards durable solutions”, focusing on the integration and documentation processes for young migrants and Children on the Move. The event highlighted the challenges related to social and school integration, as well as the acquisition of South African citizenship for unaccompanied minors.
Pathways of well-being and belonging among migrant youth in Cape Town
“Pathways of well-being and belonging among migrant youth in Cape Town” research Children and young people with experiences of migration in South Africa are building their lives in contexts of deep insecurity. The process of finding a sense of home in their new environments is complex, and through this research, SIHMA aim to build an understanding of the barriers to and facilitators to building their sense of belonging and how this affects their well-being. Previous research identified the need to...
Youth Day and The Release of Border Towns and Spaces of (In)visibility
On the 16th of June, South Africa will come together and recognize Youth Day. In honor of Youth Day, SIHMA would like to recognize the importance of youth migration and its impacts on the advancement of opportunities. To highlight the lived experiences of youth migrants, SIHMA is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Border towns and spaces of (in)visibility: Study of young people on the move in the border towns of Chipata and Katete, Zambia....
