Mercy Masika Appointed UN Goodwill Ambassador

By Carlos Onyango

Kenya’s prolific gospel singer Mercy Masika has been tapped to take up a new role as the UN Refugee Agency’s National Goodwill Ambassador for Kenya.

Masika has been involved with the UN in previous years and has also been running campaigns for them.

Prior to her appointment, she was serving as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) High Profile Supporter, where she championed the agency’s LuQuLuQu campaign to change the narrative of the African refugee.

READ ALSO: LuQuLuQu: UNHCR New Campaign to Solve Africa’s Refugee Crisis 

“It is a great honour and joy to be given this appointment,” she said. “I intend to work in my role as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador by relying on my faith as a child of God and my commitment to support people forced to flee.”

In December last year, the Groove Awards winner participated in the UNHCR’s Christmas campaign, calling on public support for refugees across Africa.

“Refugees are just like you and me — they could, in fact, be any of us. I believe that, as an African community, we have a responsibility to invoke the spirit of Ubuntu; that we carry each other’s burdens by showing our warm-heartedness in the face of a refugee’s struggle,” she said.

Kenya currently hosts close to 480,000 refugees and asylum seekers with 78 per cent of them being women and children.

READ ALSO: UNHCR & SUPKEM Ramadan Iftar Raises 15 Million Shillings in 2 hours 

Masika stated that she had paid a visit to Kakuma refugee camp and was really inspired by the strength and resilience of the refugee women, many of whom had undergone traumatic ordeals.

“One woman shared with me her personal story of escaping violence in her village to find safety in Kenya. It is listening to these experiences that motivates me to advocate for their wellbeing,” said Masika.

UNHCR African Bureau Director Raouf Mazou welcomed Miss Masika on board and congratulated her on her appointment.

“I am very pleased to welcome Mercy Masika to the UNHCR family. I have witnessed first-hand her steadfast support for UNHCR’s work in Kenya and I look forward to her continuous positive contributions in her new role as a Goodwill Ambassador.”

Following this appointment, she becomes the first Kenyan to be appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador.