Refugee fashion show: More than struttin' on a catwalk


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SALT LAKE CITY — Women of the World, a non-profit organization aimed at helping refugee women thrive, will hold its third annual fashion show. Keynote speaker will be Salt Lake City’s first Lady, Kate Kopischke. The purpose of the event is two-fold: to celebrate International Women’s Day and to raise money to benefit Utah women refugees and their families.

“Most of them are survivors,” said Samira Harnish, founder of Women of the World. “And they’re really shy and sometimes lack self-confidence.”

Women of the World provides services such as teaching refugees practical English, which “means you want to learn English now,” Harnish said. “You’re not worrying too much about grammar.”

Harnish and a few volunteers also help guide refugees to other community resources and services, including translation, health care, legal aid and housing. The fashion show is a chance for the women to show off their cultural clothing and “show the world that they are not only survivors but they’re thriving,” she said.

Among the countries that will be represented are Afghanistan, Burma, Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan and Turkey.


Most of them are survivors. And they're really shy and sometimes lack self-confidence.

–Samira Harnish


In year’s past, the fashion show has featured children. This year, Harnish decided to feature more college students who are part of her organization, most of them freshman and sophomores at local colleges and universities.

“These young women are the first generation in their family to go to college,” she said. “Some of them have scholarships to go to college.”

Harnish said delegates from the Utah Miss United Nations USA cultural pageant organization will attend the event to show support for the young women who may not be used to being the center attention.

“They deserve to be recognized because they are peacemakers, leaders and entrepreneurs,” she said.

One woman who fits those characteristics is Cathy Tschilombo-Lokemba, a refugee from Katanga, Congo. For the past 10 years, Lokemba has been active throughout Utah communities, sharing her ethnic food and educating Utahns about her country and culture. She has also been active in the Women of the World organization when Harnish created the organization five years ago. Lokemba owns Mama Africa Food & Grocery, which provides catering services and is popular for her signature spicy pili-pili sauce.

“You can use it (pili-pili sauce) on everything,” she said. "You can use it in taco, burritos, ribs, chicken, fish, steak, salad, eggs. It’s delicious.”

Lokemba said 25 years of her early life were spent in Belgium, France and Germany. When she returned to the Congo, “the war just became worse every day. They were constantly raping women.”

As a survivor of sexual assault, Lokemba said, “I couldn’t take the violence anymore.”

When she first arrived to the United States, she faced some of the same discouragement she said most refugees face: a language barrier, starting over in careers and loss of family. Lokemba said she managed to survive by braiding hair for a living until she decided to open her own catering business.

Lokemba’s advice to other refugees is to continue striving to make the best of the opportunities around them.

“You’re here in the states, make it happen,” she said. “No matter how long it takes you to go back to school, just be available and flexible.”

Lokemba said that’s been her attitude, and it has made all the difference in her life.

“Don’t despise yourself and encourage yourself to know that one day you’ll make it,” she said. “This is the land of opportunity. There is freedom. There are so many resources out there for you to succeed. There is no way you can fail.”

Each table at the event will feature written success stories from six women who have managed to take advantage of the community resources available to refugees and are now thriving in Utah.

“I give them so much credit for standing on their own two feet and making life in America, in Utah, work for them,” she said.

The fashion show will take place Thursday, March 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pierpont Place, 163 W. Pierpont Ave., Salt Lake City.

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