Clad in limited-edition outfits by top Parisian designers, gracing prestigious runways and high fashion magazines, is Biliny Mabil, a beautiful, elegant, and confident 24-year-old fashion model.
Born and raised in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Biliny now walks among the best in the world. A quick Google search reveals her remarkable story.
“If my 10-year-old self met me today she would shed tears of joy and pride because despite the obstacles, dreams can still come true,” Biliny shared during our conversation, her story aims at inspiring others who hope to follow in her footsteps.
“Life was just okay because this was the only environment I knew; I had nothing else to compare it to,” she recalls of her early days in Kakuma.
Despite the hardships, the camp became her home a place of community and resilience. She began her education at Gilo Preschool and continued through Bar el Naam Primary School, finding a sense of normalcy amidst the challenges of refugee life.
Her perception of life changed when she travelled from Kakuma Camp and was exposed to Nakuru County, Kenya for high school.
“That experience was eye-opening. For the first time, I saw how different life was outside Kakuma. It made me realise just how harsh our situation was,” she narrates.
Still, her spirit remained unbroken. Alongside her family, Biliny navigated the complexities of refugee life with determination.
Kakuma Got Talent
Modeling was never part of her initial dream. In 2018, friends encouraged her to try it, convinced she had the body for it.
“I didn’t understand it at first and really didn’t want to try, but they insisted. So I went for it.” She showcased her talent at Kakuma Got Talent (KGT), an initiative by the Lutheran World Federation in collaboration with other partners to highlight the talents of refugees and local Kenyans.
Finishing as runner-up sparked something in her. In 2019, she joined a group entry for KGT Season 6, but they were disqualified. That setback led to another opportunity; a designer, lacking a model for his outfit, asked Biliny to step in. The outfit went on to win Design of the Year, and the win felt like hers too.
“I told myself, next year I’m going to win Miss Kakuma,” she says. She dove into online research, watching pageant videos on YouTube to build her confidence.
In 2020, she returned to KGT Season 7 as a solo contestant and won. Her modeling career had officially begun. The road was not without challenges. She faced societal and cultural stereotypes, particularly from her community.
“When I started modeling, my mother didn’t approve of it because modeling was perceived as a form of prostitution and that was a bad look for our family,” Biliny Mabil recalls.
The misconceptions caused a rift between them. Rather than try to convince her mother, Biliny quietly pursued her dream in silence. She researched online, contacted pageantry and fashion agencies abroad, and eventually caught the attention of her current mother agency in France, which invited her to Paris and covered all her expenses.
“At the time, I was working with as an interpreter with an agency here in Kakuma. When I told mum I was going to Nairobi, she understood it was work-related. But once I reached the airport, I called to inform her I was flying to France. She didn’t have a choice she just said ‘okay.’ A month later, she fell ill and I had to step in to pay her hospital bill with money I made from modeling, she finally believed this was a real career. She regretted her disapproval and since then, she’s been supportive,” Biliny says.
For Biliny Mabil, hard work means going against all odds and success isn’t just personal it’s about lifting others. Living and working in the refugee camp she saw the pain struggles of girls and teenage mothers in Kakuma, this inspired her to co-found Refugee Teens Talk (RTT), an organisation focused on empowering young refugee women.
“I think the simplest way to support these women is by talking to them. It’s important to create safe spaces where they can share their problems and gain life skills,” she says.
Biliny Mabil’s Vision
RTT helps young women build confidence, leadership skills, and self-advocacy through mentorship. Two years ago, RTT launched Miss KK, a platform to help girls develop confidence to address an audience and leadership skills. The second edition expanded to include boys, becoming Mr. and Miss KK.
“One of our success stories is a young girl who was very shy. After a month-long mentorship program, she competed confidently and now she’s doing really well she was crowned Miss South Sudan and is now pursuing a career in acting,” Biliny says.
This year, Biliny reached out to LWF with the intent to collaborate with Kakuma Got Talent, now in its 11th season. She aims to share her experience in pageantry and high fashion with others in the camp.
“My vision is to see these two powerful platforms (Mr. and Miss KK and KGT) come together. As an international model who’s not just making money but also learning, I saw no better way to bring my skills back to the camp,” Biliny talks of her vision.
Beyond modelling, RTT plans to continue supporting young women and men by nurturing their skills and talents so that they can eke a living from them.
World over technology has levelled the playing field in regard to access to knowledge and information.
As she concluded, Biliny Mabil acknowledged that this played a role in her success and she advised young people to use it to their advantage.
“My advice to the youth is: work hard and make sure your eyes are outside. We are in a world of technology everything is on the internet. Use your phone wisely,” she says.
