Alek: Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel

by Alek Wek

Alek Wek, supermodel, campaigner, spokesperson and entrepreneur, tells her amazing story, from war-torn Sudan to the catwalks of London, Paris and New York.Alek Wek grew up in the Sudan in the midst of the vicious civil war. Now, at age 28, she is one of the most sought-after supermodels in the world, and has single-handedly changed the traditional concept of what is beautiful in the West. As model, refugee activist and businesswoman she is an inspiration - and this remarkable real-life story sheds light on her journey from Dinka clan roots in war-torn Sudan to a new beginnings in Brooklyn. Born the seventh of nine siblings, on her escape to London at the age of fourteen she had already lived through violence, genocide and forced migration in her homeland. Alek Wek's poignant, powerful memoir gives an unforgettable insight into her rise to fame as a supermodel with a conscience, who balances cover shoots for glossy magazines (she was named Model of The Decade by i-D magazine) with political activism (working with Doctors Without Borders and the U.S. Committee for Refugees Advisory Council) and a dedication to refocus the world's attention on those she left behind in the Sudan.

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About the author

Alek Wek is a South Sudanese British model who first appeared on the catwalks at the age of 18 in 1995, sparking a career lasting to date. She is from the Dinka ethnic group in South Sudan, but in 1991 she and some family members fled to Britain to escape the civil war in Sudan. She later moved to the United States.

Wek is a member of the U.S. Committee for Refugees' Advisory Council and is helping to raise awareness about the situation in Sudan, as well as the plight of refugees worldwide.