‘I am not the ambassador for refugees’

Ishmail Kamara was born in Sierra Leone. As an adolescent, he had to drop out of secondary school to take over his father's farm work. Nevertheless, he became a poet and writer who meditates and preaches positivism and optimism. But to become who he is today, he first had to flee his country for ‘traditional and social’ reasons, about which he does not want to elaborate. That's how he ended up in the Netherlands in 2012.

For over seven years now, he has been staying here without a residence permit. That has not stopped him from finding his own way. ‘When my asylum application was rejected, I became homeless. I roamed the streets of Rotterdam. I was young and had nothing, but I refused to give up. I wanted to learn the language because I wanted to stay here. By chance, I found a place in the city where I could live ánd learn Dutch.’

Later, thanks to his openness and his passion for football and creative writing, he managed to inspire many people. He became one of the faces of Rotterdam. ‘I started playing football at an amateur club and trained children there. That's how I got to know many people and was able to overcome my worries and fears. They recognised my innate talent for storytelling, which I inherited from my ancestors.’

Novelist

In Dutch culture - a culture in which the written word plays an important role - a different fate awaited Ishmail than that of his grandparents. ‘When I told stories to a friend, he said he saw a writer in me. When I heard this, I had to laugh at first. I had never thought about it. After a few days, I picked up pen and paper. First I smiled at the paper and then I wrote down my thoughts. The audience received these stories with great love. That surprised me. It allowed me to discover myself.’

Meanwhile, Ishmail's work as a poet and writer is published. His poems can be read in Dutch and English. His first novel was published in early 2020: A Hundred Golden Horses - A Journey to the Promised Land. This novel tells the story of a young child recruited by the army. Escaping from the training camp, he embarks on a journey to the Promised Land. Along the way, he falls into the hands of a human trafficker. Eventually, he ends up in a foreign land. There, he must struggle to build a new life.

Positivity

‘The novel is inspired by my story, my situation and my character. It took me five years to write it down and I approached more than 50 publishers to publish it. None of the obstacles I faced prevented me from continuing because I believed in myself and what I write.’

The success Ishmail gained ‘out of nowhere’, especially with the publication of his book, encouraged him to stick to his positive outlook on life and his desire to put ‘all the hard things’ on paper. ‘Sticking to the positive side of life is a choice. I chose it from the beginning. It helped me discover my strengths and develop myself. At every stage I pass, I say to old Ishmail: good boy. I am proud of you. Let's continue the journey!’

In the Netherlands, there is room for everyone

This attitude is reflected in his view of Dutch society and his integration within it. Even though he is and remains African, he has learned a lot from the Netherlands. ‘Not all Dutch people accept my presence here. But what I have experienced in the past seven years is that many of them welcome me. And that there is a place for everyone in the Netherlands. A place that everyone has to conquer for themselves.’

For Ishmail, that place is mainly Rotterdam, where he now feels ‘completely at home’. ‘Rotterdam has an open society, with people from different backgrounds. People are direct and do not judge another person by their background. It is a multicultural and welcoming city that welcomed me with open arms and helped me become who I am today.’

The impact of the civil war

Although Sierra Leone's civil war was not the direct reason for his flight, it has had a major impact on Ishmail's life and worldview. ‘The war from when I was little still recurs in my nightmares. Because of the war, my father had to take me out of school, and I lost some of my relatives. What I experienced makes me quieter in my daily life and forces me to always look back. But it also forces me to believe that I can survive.’

‘All global citizens should have the same passport’

Besides writing, Ishmail works with organisations that help refugees. Among other things, he runs creative writing workshops for young refugees. He then presents himself not as a refugee, but ‘just as Ishmail’. ‘I have a background as a refugee and I am not ashamed of that. But I like to believe that I inspire others through my work, and not just by satisfying their curiosity about the pitiful refugee. Better not ask me about refugees. I am not their ambassador. I am the ambassador of my own work.’

While the whole world seems to be on fire, Ishmail clings to his dream of ‘an open and equal world’, where no one is forced to leave their country. ‘All the wars, unrest and refugee flows in today's world are caused by the inequality on which the world order is built. So a lot is going wrong. But the world is changing and I am an optimist. In about 50 years, all world citizens should have the same passport.’

Photo by Negin Zendegani

This interview is taken from the Handbook of Journalistic Integration. Curious about the rest of the Handbook? Download it via onfile.eu/handbook!