Jawahar Fadel

Mrs. Jawahar Fadel from South Sudan is a strong, resilient woman who has fought her way through many challenges in her life. She was a refugee two times leaving her home in South Sudan which she loved very much, to Libya in 1992. After spending time in Libya and earning her Bachelors Degree in Biology, she was forced to leave again due to the war in Libya and escaped to Tunisia where she spent another two years in a refugee camp. Even while in a refugee camp she taught children during emergency situations and trained with different humanitarian organizations. After spending time in Tunisia she came to the United States and now lives in Utah. She is deeply involved with helping refugees across the world and  is currently the Chairwoman of the Utah Sudanese Community. She received an associate’s degree in Communication Studies and uses this degree to help refugees further their education and advocate for them.

Despite all of Ms. Fadel’s experiences and hardships she continued to strive, move forward, and provide for her family. During her time as a refugee she said that even though it was hard she still has fond memories of her parents providing for her and playing with her siblings which really helped maintain her mental health and also find hope in dark areas. Being a refugee she felt disconnected with other parts of her family but she was still grateful to be with her mother, father, and her siblings. She now has a family of her own that she takes care of and shares her experiences with.

Leaving Sudan was one of the hardest things she had to do. As a kid, she says, it was easy to overlook the meaning of her homeland and how much of an impact it had on her. Kids are normally focused on other things and having to leave her homeland didn’t mean as much to her as it does now. She says that she misses Sudan everyday and looking back it was hard to leave a place with such a big meaning and impact that it has on her now. 

Being apart and being selected to represent Sudan as Mrs. Sudan United Nations was a huge honor for her and she wanted to be a part of this pageant to not only spread awareness for refugees and the struggles of Sudanese refugees, but also to advocate for women’s rights and fight for healthcare access for mothers and children in Sudan. She wants to fulfill her own dream of building a health center in her hometown to ensure safe pregnancies. 

Mrs. Jawahar Fadel has dedicated her life to helping fight for refugees rights, women's rights, and the rights of the Sudanese people. Even after experiencing so many challenges in her life she still chose to stay motivated and to provide for her family which means the world to her. To be able to represent Sudan in this pageant not only helps her get closer to her goal and dream, but also the dreams of so many other Sudanese refugees.