Alumni Spotlight: Nico Mifsud '23

From RefugArt to Refugee Camps: Carrying ASB's Mission Forward

Nico Mifsud (Class of 2023) has just commenced his second year of International Studies at Leiden University, focusing on African Political Economy, a focus that took on new depth this summer when he spent two weeks in Botswana, a trip made possible through an introduction by ASB's Head of Activities and Community Service, Ms. Marta Vernet.

While at ASB, Nico was one of the driving forces behind RefugArt during high school, the school's student-led fundraising initiative supporting refugees. He produced an informative video that brought the realities faced by displaced communities to the ASB community, helping galvanize support for the cause and setting the course for a commitment that has stayed with him well beyond graduation.

This past summer also took Nico to New York, where he spent a month working with the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, an experience that, in many ways, set the stage for what came next. Weeks later, he carried those same questions about protection, dignity, and opportunity for young people affected by conflict and displacment to Dukwi Refugee Camp in Botswana.

There, he spent time with refugee youth and learners enrolled in the camp's Computer Literacy and HP LIFE Online Courses classes, programs supported by ASB in partnership with the Botswana Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services. Stella Moroka, Permanent Secretary of Botswana's Ministry of Justice, and Thobo Letlhage, Director of Refugee Affairs and Anti-Human Trafficking, made the visit possible, and their introductions opened the door to the camp and to Botswana more broadly.

He led introductory sessions on artificial intelligence and basic computer skills, and talked with learners about education, scholarships, and the employment challenges they face. For Nico, it was a firsthand look at the daily realities of living and working alongside refugees, the very community whose stories he had worked to tell through RefugArt.

Botswana has been truly amazing. I have learned so much and feel deeply inspired by the people I have met along the way. I hope to continue building on these relationships, supporting the work being done, and contributing to the continued collaboration between ASB and the Botswana Ministry of Justice.

— Nico Mifsud '23

Nico hopes to build on that experience by exploring collaborative opportunities between Leiden University and ASB, carrying the RefugArt spirit forward on a bigger stage, raising awareness of the plight of refugees and funds to support them. It's a fitting next chapter for an alum whose ASB journey began with a video and a fundraiser, and who is now working to turn that same passion into lasting impact.