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Woman in white long-sleeved shirt sitting in front of statue outside

Rose Nathike Lokonyen

When Rose Nathike Lokonyen was 8 years old, she and her family fled South Sudan when a civil war broke out in their village in 2002. They made their way to the neighboring country of Kenya, arriving at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Lokonyen and her nine younger siblings lived in the camp for almost 20 years.

During that time, her parents had returned to South Sudan in search of Lokonyen’s grandparents, and later learned they had lost their lives in the war. For eight years, Lokonyen didn’t know if her parents were alive until a group of journalists found them in their former village and brought them back to Kenya.

“Life in a refugee camp has a lot of challenges and it wasn’t easy for us, but we have to overcome and aim for a better future,” Lokonyen says.

Lokonyen found that future through running, which she started doing for fun in high school at the refugee camp, competing in inter-school competitions and races. In 2015, she ran barefoot in a 10-kilometer race, placing second. A few months later, she was invited to train for the Olympics at the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya.

Lokonyen trained with about 40 other refugees two to three times a day, Monday through Saturday, for eight months. The training was difficult and nothing like her experience running in the refugee camp. After being told she couldn’t run barefoot like she was used to, she told her coach she couldn’t train and needed to return to the camp.

Despite the challenges, Lokonyen pushed through and, in 2016, she was selected as one of five South Sudanese runners for the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team. She placed seventh in the 800-meter dash, and served as the flag bearer during the Opening Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

“We were so happy because when we entered the Maracanã stadium, all the people were cheering for [the refugee team],” she says. “I think that was the most important thing because we are the voices of other refugees. It gives us this symbol of unity, life, and togetherness.”

Lokonyen also competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and says competing as an Olympian has given hope to other refugees around the world. “It shows that being a refugee is just a status. Whatever [other] people can do, a refugee person can do too, despite the circumstance they are going through.”

Speaking Out for Others

Since taking part in the 2016 Summer Olympics, Lokonyen has inspired many by sharing her story of strength and resilience. She has served as a keynote speaker, a representative for other refugees, and in leadership roles as a Toastmasters member. Through her advocacy for refugees, she often discusses how sports can benefit others who have been displaced.

“The Olympic Games, and sports in general, have not only been an avenue to nurture my talents, but a much-needed voice to share my experience,” Lokonyen said at the 2018 Social Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, where as a delegate she discussed how sports could be used to promote human rights. “The involvements of the refugee community in sports continues to inspire the 68.5 million forcibly displaced people.”

Lokonyen was also invited to speak at the 2018 Formal Consultation on the Global Compact of Refugees, where she discussed global policy-making processes that would support refugees.

“[Refugees] need to be given a chance to be their own voices,” she says.

As Lokonyen continues to speak out for those in need, she credits Toastmasters with helping build her confidence. “I’ve been to so many countries traveling, being a keynote speaker for the refugees around the world, and it’s helped me a lot. Toastmasters helps me improve my communication skills, confidence, and knowledge.”

“The Olympic Games, and sports in general, have not only been an avenue to nurture my talents, but a much-needed voice to share my experience.”

-Rose Nathike Lokonyen

She first joined DIC Toastmasters, a hybrid club based in Chicago, Illinois, in 2021, after receiving a scholarship to Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Within the first two years of her membership, she served as the Club Secretary twice and placed third in the Area speech contest.

Lokonyen, who currently serves as Area 21 Director for District 103, is studying to be a social service worker so she can support others in need. “As long as you can work with people, that is what matters,” she says.

With her public speaking skills, education, and Olympic experience, Lokonyen will continue advocating for refugees around the world. “My dream is to achieve my goal of helping people one day in the future and giving back to my community.”