It’s the grand opening of the 2025 edition of the African Forum on Displacement in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The conference room is filled with 415 dignitaries representing 149 unique organizations, including Reeta Roy, CEO of the Mastercard Foundation; Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR; and Isaac Fokuo, Curator of the Amahoro Coalition.
To open the day’s critical conversations, Ariane Umuhoza, Founder and CEO of the Oasis Inclusive Centre for autistic children, delivered a deeply moving address.
In a voice that was resolute yet humble; confident yet meek; expectant yet unassuming, Ariane shared her journey as a woman from Rwanda now living in South Africa. She told a story of support, transformation, service, and strength — showing how the right kind of help can turn displacement into lasting impact.
We are not waiting to be INcluded, we are building INclusion.
We are not asking for sympathy, we are offering solutions.
Displacement did not silence us. It shaped us.
Ariane Umuhoza
Here is Ariane’s story in her own words:
When my son was a toddler, I noticed he wasn’t speaking like other children his age. Trusting my instincts, I sought help. At the hospital, I was told:
“You foreigners speak too many languages. You confuse your children. Go home and speak English. Your child will talk.”
I knew this was a lie because we already spoke English at home. But as a first-time mother, new to the country, trying to integrate, still learning the language and culture, I didn’t have the strength to argue. I left the hospital heartbroken.
That statement and the treatment I received delayed my son’s diagnosis for a full year.
- A year we could have started therapy
- A year of missed progress
- A year we will never get back
But pain gave birth to purpose.
I wasn’t meant to blend in, I was meant to stand out.
Cindy Oyugi
With the support of what was then the Cape Town Refugee Centre, my son finally received his diagnosis and was placed in a special school. But I knew—if I was being dismissed and misunderstood because of my background, other displaced mothers were too. Silently. Hopelessly. I wanted to support them.
But I also knew that being a mother to an autistic child didn’t make me an expert. So, I studied autism. I learned how to support families. I returned—not just with passion, but with knowledge. I began partnering with local organizations to raise awareness in communities. I advocated for displaced families raising children with autism. And that’s how Oasis Inclusive Centre was born—a space of support, dignity, and belonging for children with autism and their families, especially those affected by displacement.
None of this would be possible without the Amahoro Coalition. Amahoro was, and remains, our first and biggest supporter. To Mr. Isaac, the Amahoro team, and everyone supporting this work—thank you for believing in us. Because of Amahoro’s belief in us, others followed: UNHCR, Purpose Earth, AMP, Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town.
Thanks to the Amahoro Fellowship, I’ve connected with other changemakers across Africa—like our friends at Autism Echo Africa in Rwanda. Together, we co-host online workshops for parents in English and Kinyarwanda, so families can learn in a language that makes them feel safe.
Thanks to UNHCR, we designed and now distribute sensory toy boxes—80% go to displaced children with autism, and 20% to South African families to promote integration. But we don’t just deliver boxes. We visit homes, demonstrate how to use the tools, share our own journey, and encourage both mothers and fathers to participate in their child’s development.
We created autism-friendly tours of Cape Town—Table Mountain, Robben Island, Cape Point and more—designed so that every family, no matter their needs, can travel with dignity and joy. In just the first four months of 2025, we’ve welcomed over 300 travelers, mostly from the USA, UK, Australia, and beyond. These tours create jobs, support local businesses, and offer unforgettable experiences.
Reflecting on the AFD 2025 theme, ALL IN, Ariane reminded the audience that displaced people are not waiting for inclusion. They were actively creating it.
With these powerful words, Ariane invited the delegates to commit to listen differently, to use their voices to lift others, and build an Africa where no child waits in silence, no mother walks alone, and no potential goes unseen.
