From Refugee to Revolutionary: Romeo Lomora’s Open Knowledge Initiatives

Amid struggle, where hope seems like a distant dream, one person believed in himself — proving that a single initiative can start a chain of change and transform lives

We had the special opportunity to talk with Romeo Lomora, a South Sudanese refugee who has become an inspiring leader, helping to bring knowledge and education to his community. Now living in Uganda, Romeo is making a big difference through his initiative, Open Knowledge, in South Sudan. His story shows how strength and creativity can make real changes, even in tough times.

In 2016, Romeo arrived in Uganda where he faced many challenges. As a teacher, he quickly noticed a serious problem—there weren’t enough good, up-to-date books or resources for learning. “I faced a significant challenge with outdated books and limited resources,” Romeo remembers. This opened his eyes to the need for a new way of teaching. Eager to solve the problem, Romeo really thought about it. “Now, when I look at these challenges, I ask: how do I solve these on my own?”

Determined to make a difference, Romeo and his team started Platform Africa. Their goal was to create a community library and introduce modern learning tools in the refugee camps. “The idea was to provide a space where refugees could access knowledge beyond the traditional limitations,” Romeo explains. This included using platforms like Wikipedia to share open knowledge and help people solve the problems in their community. Romeo focused on open-source tools which could promote collaboration.

Community at the Core of Open Source

The journey into the world of open-source tools began not with the technology itself, but with a deep commitment to community and shared values. “It all started with us, not the tool,” Romeo reflects. The initial focus wasn’t on contributing to a specific platform but on creating a space where people could come together, connect, and share their passions. Romeo and his friends built an open, welcoming environment, filled with simple pleasures like volleyball games, guitar lessons, and storytelling sessions. “We introduced activities that brought joy and fostered connections—things that differed from the tech,” Romeo explains. This sense of community and shared experience made it easy for people to embrace the idea of contributing to an open-source tool. “When we finally mentioned the tool, everyone was already on board because they felt connected to the space we had created,” he says. The initial on fun and community transitioned to contributing to the tool has become smooth and natural, demonstrating that when people are engaged and happy, they are more likely to embrace new ideas and contribute meaningfully.

Platform Africa

A groundbreaking initiative pioneered by Romeo and his colleagues aims to empower refugees by providing them with the tools and opportunities to thrive beyond the limitations imposed by their circumstances. “Platform Africa started off just by the name “platform”. Basically, it aims to be a platform for refugees for them to either think, do, make, create—a space for them to go beyond the refugee bubble,” Romeo claims. Far from merely providing necessities, Platform Africa focuses on fostering education, access to information, and peace building — and to combat misinformation and promote digital literacy.

Besides addressing information literacy, Platform Africa prioritises education and skill development. They have established community libraries, implemented literacy programs, and offered intensive digital literacy courses. These initiatives empower refugees to gain knowledge and develop valuable skills, opening doors to new opportunities and self-sufficiency. Beginning with the digital literacy program, Romeo said, “The first thing we did is a very intensive digital literacy program; we had all these computer training programs we could do in shifts. We had morning and night shifts — the morning shift was basically for the young people who are available; and in the evening shift are working-class people that still had issues with learning how to use computer…” Realising that even the working-class people still had issues with learning on how to use the computer, specifically teachers who were having trouble searching for content. Beyond education and skills training, Platform Africa also fosters a culture of peace building and storytelling. By providing platforms for refugees to share their experiences and perspectives, the organisation helps to bridge, divides, and promote understanding.

Bridging Tradition and Innovation

When he reflects on his leadership journey in the refugee camp, one of the biggest challenges he faced was acceptance. Bringing new ideas to a community so deeply rooted in tradition is difficult. It is true, imagine introducing something fresh and modern to a place where people have always done things a certain way — the way they are used to doing. There’s always that hesitation, a sense of, “Can we really accept this?” Romeo said.

A clear example of this was when he proposed the idea of a community library. Initially, people questioned its relevance. “How would this help us?” they asked. Though he knew these communities needed resources, getting them to realise the value of such ideas really took time. He had to explain the benefits and make the ideas feel relevant to their specific context. Slowly, they understood. At first, many of them viewed the ideas as something foreign—“westernised,” as they called it—and doubted how they could integrate into their lives. But over time, he learned it wasn’t rejection, it was simply a lack of understanding. Once he took the time to localise these ideas, to show real-life examples that related to their context, they realised it was actually for them, they just needed more time to see that these ideas weren’t meant to impose something from the outside but to solve problems in ways that suited them.

It wasn’t always easy for him, either. There were moments where he felt disheartened. He works so hard, and sometimes, it feels like all the effort is in vain. There were moments when he was like, “Come on, I’m doing all of this for them”. But then, he reminds himself: “They didn’t know about these things, just like I didn’t know at first”. So, he kept going, finding better ways to explain, to connect with them, and to show how these new ideas could fit into their lives.

Another big challenge was living in the camp itself. The infrastructure was far from ideal—power cuts, lack of internet, not enough devices like computers. These limitations made it hard to implement solutions, no matter how promising they seemed. Even leadership in this context was a challenge, “because as much as I want to push out a solution, it’s these infrastructure challenges that limits you,” Romeo explains.

The lack of resources and funding added another layer of difficulty. “There are no resources, there are no funds, and it affects how you become more active as a leader”. Romeo claims. It’s really hard when you’re constantly battling these external obstacles, but despite everything, he kept pushing forward, knowing that with time and effort, he could make a real difference.

Conclusion

Romeo’s Journey is a powerful reminder that refugees are far more that what people initially think of them — that they’re just in need of food and shelter. They are dreamers, thinkers, and leader with the potential to build a future. By initiating different projects, Romeo transformed his own experiences as a refugee into hope for his community, showing them the power of knowledge and collaboration. His story proves that even when faced with overwhelming obstacles, one person’s courage to act can inspire others to believe in change. Romeo didn’t wait for help; he used what he had — belief in himself; and that sparked a movement that now brings strength, hope, and opportunity to other people. His unwavering belief reminds us all that one person’s vision can change the world.

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