DAKAR, SENEGAL, 12 December 2014 (UNHCR) – Madzoo’s idea and images of the refugees was that of what most people have in mind: men, women and children fleeing conflicts in their countries in dramatic situations and struggling to survive. The 26-year old graffiti artist then met with the UNHCR team in Dakar who told him that while it is true that most refugees experience great suffering and loss, it does not mean that they are helpless or hopeless.

Hélène Caux | UNHCR

A happy Madzoo in front of his work of art

“I thought it would be more interesting to expose a positive dimension of refugees in the graffiti UNHCR commissioned us to draw on the wall of its office” says Madzoo. “So together with my graffiti friends, we drew joyful faces and painted words of welcome and support in Wolof and French, the two most used languages in Senegal. We hope we managed to convey the dignity of these refugees who have lost so much”. In that sense, the graffiti is also a message of solidarity, of strength and of hope.

Twelve persons in total worked on the wall. They belong to the very active graffiti group Radical Bomb Shot (RBS), which includes young artists ages 20 to 32 and represents a young generation of Senegalese who use their creativity to send messages to the rest of society. Their work can be seen in several places in Dakar, along the main road by the sea for instance or in the Ouakam and Pikine neighbourhoods.

RBS

A panoramic view of the graffiti

“It was important for us to let them, in the way they know best which is through their art, give us their way of seeing refugees. They had free rein, we did not give them any instructions” says Mathijs Le Rutte, UNHCR Deputy Representative for West Africa. “Most refugees are young , like these graffiti artists. And in this solidarity and understanding lies a message of hope for their future together”.

The graffiti also sends a message to passersby and drivers that says: when you see a UN building, or a UN car or a UN official, do not judge it as a mere bureaucracy! UNHCR has a humanitarian mission to help protect refugees, and it is first and foremost a people’s organization.

The response to the graffiti has up to now been very positive. It is the first of its kind in the Almadies neighbourhood, where UNHCR West Africa has its office. “People stop by and take pictures. More than one person has told us they would want something similar”, adds Le Rutte . Other UNHCR offices in the region are already contemplating having a similar graffiti to enlighten the walls of their compounds. To be continued…