By Basant El-Faramawy
Fifteen-year-old judoka Arno Yafunga, who fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a young child, is competing as part of the first-ever refugee team at the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal. Coached by his father, Arnold, Arno is one of six young athletes representing refugees at the ongoing Games in Dakar.
Flight from Congo to Kenya
The family escaped to Kenya in 2017 amid persistent violence in eastern Congo, where government forces and over 100 armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, have displaced millions. Arno was six at the time and retains few memories of his homeland, recalling only his father's warnings about insecurity.
Judo as Refuge
Near the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya, Arnold discovered a judo club and resumed a sport he had practiced since childhood. Arno and his siblings soon joined him. Nearly a decade later, that training has propelled Arno onto the international stage at the Youth Olympics, a smaller version of the Games for athletes aged 14 to 17.
Historic Youth Olympics Debut
In Dakar, Arno narrowly missed a medal, losing the bronze match in the boys' 55-kilogram division while his five teammates cheered him on. The refugee team, created by the International Olympic Committee and managed by the Olympic Refuge Foundation, brings together athletes based in refugee camps in Kenya and Uganda competing in judo, taekwondo, and track and field.
A Platform for Refugee Voices
The United Nations refugee agency called the team's participation "a historic moment" for young refugees across Africa. More than 117 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2025, including 39 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Teammate Florence Masumbe, a 16-year-old 200-meter runner from Congo who grew up in Uganda's Rwamwanja settlement, said she wants to show that refugees can succeed and win.
Arnold hopes his son's journey will continue to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and inspire other young refugees to take up judo. "Being a refugee doesn't mean it's the end of things," he said. "Being a refugee also allows you to dream of great things." Arno carries his father's early advice with him: "Never give up on what you're doing."
