Alex was born into a family of cattle herders, semi-nomadic, pastoralist people in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Growing up, he survived extreme violence on a terrifying scale and lost many members of his family. His hunger for education took Alex to a school where he encountered countless incidents of xenophobia and physical attacks on him as a member of a minority ethnic group.
He witnessed the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and subsequent violence fuelled by ethnic hatred in Africa’s Great lakes region. Later, he became involved in humanitarian work for UN-related Non Government Organisations, in an orphanage for children who survived the genocide and groups trying to stop child soldiering in the DRC.
Due to continuing threats to his community in the DRC, Alex travelled to the UK and sought asylum there. Overcoming major cultural and language barriers, he went to college and university and gained two masters: MA in the Anthropology of Conflict, Violence and Conciliation at the University of Sussex, and an Msc in International Conflict Analysis.
He has written a book, Not My Worst Day, about his experiences in Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC. He is currently an independent researcher and consultant in political and security analysis (DRC) and completing his PhD research at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre, University of Kent. Over the last fifteen years, he has occupied responsibilities in the public sector (community cohesion), international development and community and university partnerships. He has been involved in political mediation for civil society organisations in conflict-affected areas.
He is a popular speaker providing insights into issues of migration, war, security, cultural insensitivity in conflict resolution. Alex also speaks five languages.
Kent
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