Tag Archives: narrative

From Cape Town to London, Deo Kato runs to challenge racism and reclaim the migration narrative

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The 8,262-mile journey took him through 21 countries, transforming an extraordinary physical feat into a powerful act of activism, aimed at confronting racism and reshaping how migration is understood.

Born in Uganda and raised in the United Kingdom, Deo first took up running to manage his health. Over time, that personal discipline grew into a journey of purpose, connecting endurance with identity, protest and hope.

Turning point

In 2020, a moment of global reckoning around racial injustice – the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis – became a turning point for Deo. He realised his running could serve a purpose beyond endurance.

 “I thought, ‘I have to do something about this. Whether it’s small or big, I want to use my running to create change and speak out against racial injustice,’” he explained. 

That conviction led him to run ten kilometres every day for 381 days, marking each day of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the United States civil rights movement. 

He told himself, “I’m going to keep doing this for as long as I can because this is how change happens.”

Day after day, Deo pushed forward, turning physical endurance into a form of activism aimed at confronting racism and amplifying conversations around migration and justice.

Retracing migration routes 

From this commitment, Deo set out to run from Cape Town to London, symbolically retracing humanity’s earliest migration routes from Africa.

The road ahead was long and arduous. Scaling mountains, crossing deserts, and running through wildlife reserves, Deo moved through landscapes that constantly shifted around him. 

“It feels incredible just to be moving. Then, suddenly, I see elephants and children start running beside me,” he shared. 

Barriers and restrictions

Along the way, Deo witnessed how complex and restrictive migration can be, particularly for people displaced by climate impacts, economic pressure, or conflict. 

He saw how limited regular pathways and movement restrictions leave many people effectively unable to move within their own regions, trapping them in unsafe or uncertain situations and cutting off routes to safety.

“Some people end up detained simply for trying to flee conflict or because they are seen as outsiders. Even when they have the correct paperwork, they can still be held.”

The further I travelled along the migration route, the more I was viewed as an irregular migrant.

Deo himself faced similar barriers. At one point, he was detained despite having the correct documents. In other areas, he was forced to reroute his journey because of conflict or restricted access. 

As he travelled north towards Europe, the scrutiny intensified. 

“The further I travelled along the migration route, the more I was viewed as an irregular migrant. People would call the police simply because they saw someone they thought didn’t belong passing through their area,” he explained. 

Crossing some of the world’s most spectacular and unforgiving terrain, Deo experienced Africa on foot, where nature and movement shaped every mile of his journey.

Community support 

Despite the challenges, Deo’s journey was sustained by community support. Along the way, local runners, strangers, and online supporters joined him. Those moments of shared effort and solidarity kept him going. 

“Without that community support, I would not have succeeded on this journey. It’s what truly gave it meaning,” he said. 

His journey was never about endurance alone. It was about reclaiming the story of migration – a story rooted in resilience, human progress, and development. 

“People move for so many reasons, and each journey tells a human story,” Deo emphasised. 

Looking ahead, he plans to keep using his platform as a form of activism, continuing to speak about migration, belonging, and shared humanity. As he puts it, “Don’t limit yourself. Believe in your power to create change.”

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‘Shift the narrative’ on suicide to prevent loss of 720,000 lives annually

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Speaking on World Suicide Prevention Day, which is marked annually on 10 September, WHO’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “each life lost leaves a profound impact on families, friends, colleagues and entire communities.”

All age groups are affected by suicide and was the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2021, the last year for which data has been gathered by WHO.

Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries and impacts all regions of the world.

Close to three quarters of global suicides occurred in low and middle-income countries in 2021.

The average number of suicides across the world in 2021 was 8.9 per 100,000 people.

In Africa the figure stood at 11.5, while in both Europe and Southeast Asia the number of suicides was recorded at 10.1 per 100,000 people.

Globally, the lowest suicide rate was in the Eastern Mediterranean region at 4.0 per 100,000, while in the Western Pacific it was 7.5 per 100,000.

Who’s at risk?

The link between suicide and mental disorders, in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders, and a previous suicide attempt is well established in high-income countries.

However, many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship disputes, or chronic pain and illness.

In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour.

Suicide rates are also high among vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants, indigenous peoples, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons and incarcerated prisoners.

Moving from silence to openness

“We must move from silence to openness, from stigma to empathy, and from neglect to support,” said Dr. Tedros.

“We must create environments where people feel safe to speak up and seek help,” he said.

“Shifting the narrative on suicide also means driving systemic change, where governments prioritise and invest in quality mental health care and policies to ensure everyone gets the support they need.”

According to the 2024 Mental Health Atlas report by WHO, median government spending on mental health has remained at a modest 2 percent of total health budgets since 2017.

Moreover, there is a significant disparity between high-income and low-income nations. Whilst high-income nations allocate up to $65 per person to mental health, low-income nations spend as little as $0.04.

WHO recognizes mental health as a universal human right.

Effective prevention measures

WHO says that there are effective measures that can be taken to prevent suicide and self-harm.

LIVE LIFE, the agency’s initiative for suicide prevention, recommends the following key effective evidence-based interventions:

  • limit access to the means of suicide (eg, pesticides, firearms, certain medications);
  • interact with the media for responsible reporting of suicide;
  • foster socio-emotional life skills in adolescents;
  • early identify, assess, manage and follow up anyone who is affected by suicidal behaviours.