Alek Wek is a South Sudanese-British model and designer known for breaking the 'beauty' stereotypes in the fashion industry.
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‌From Dinka's ethnic group in South Sudan, she fled to Britain during Civil War. The condition of her family was harsh in Sudan during the civil war; the Wek family had to flee from both rebel and government forces.
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‌London gave space to exhibit her modelling skills. She was named "Model of the Year" in 1997 by MTV and was the first African model to appear on the cover of Elle that year.
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‌Her success was a celebration to black women all over the world. world. Oprah Winfrey stated that "if Alek had been on the cover of a magazine when I was growing up, I would have had a different concept of who I was."
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‌She has been an advisor to the U.S. Committee for Refugees Advisory Council, which helps to bring up awareness about the situation in Sudan, as well as the plight of refugees worldwide since 2002.
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‌In an interview when asked about Civil War she said:‘I’m trying to find words to describe it, No child should have to experience that. It was terrible. Gunshots, bombing. People barricading us in our homes. Going to fetch water and finding neighbours dead and smelling, not the smell of rotten rats but people. Nobody takes responsibility. It’s really horrible. Two million people died in South Sudan in the civil war. Everybody lost a family member.’
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‌This is what war brings to people, in the ravaging world when people find it hard to live with even reminiscence of war; imagine to be facing it.
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‌Let peace prevail and let humans have strength like her.