Thomas' journey from victim of violence to builder of peace

WESTERN EQUATORIA - The sound of gunfire still takes Thomas Bazawi back to the forests he once crossed in search of safety.

It reminds him of being young, frightened, and uncertain about whether he would make it out alive.

“I was hungry, exhausted and scared. But every morning I told myself to keep walking because stopping was never an option,” he recalls.

Travelling through dense bush in search of safety, he eventually crossed from South Sudan’s Western Equatoria into neighbouring Central African Republic and later Uganda, where he became a refugee.

Today, he is back home with a different purpose: helping communities experiencing the same kind of violence as he did to find a path to peace.

Fifty-two-year-old Thomas works as a Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, helping to strengthen protection of civilians, facilitate dialogue, and promote peaceful coexistence.

His journey from refugee to peacekeeper is deeply personal.

“My experiences shaped the person I am today. I know what it means to lose a home, feel powerless, and depend on others' kindness. That is why I want to stand with people facing the same challenges I once faced.”

“When you become a refugee, you lose much more than your house. You lose the life you knew and sometimes your confidence. But I refused to let conflict define who I would become.”

He rebuilt his life by pursuing a degree in Social Work and Social Administration.

“Education gave me purpose. It helped me understand how I could support people facing the same hardships I experienced.”

But returning home did not mean leaving conflict behind.

In 2017, Thomas was detained by an armed group in Western Equatoria for nearly a week.

“The hardest part was the uncertainty. Every night I wondered whether I would ever see my family, including my 11 children, again. Conflict can quickly take away your freedom, dignity and ability to make decisions about your own life.”

The experience reinforced his belief in peace.

“I could not change what happened to me. But I could decide what kind of person I wanted to become. I wanted my experiences to help protect others and contribute to peace.”

Today, Thomas works with displaced families, community leaders, women, youth and local authorities to identify protection concerns, foster dialogue, and peacefully address tensions. His lived experience gives him a perspective that cannot be learned from a textbook.

“When people tell me they have lost their homes, I don’t hear statistics. I see families trying to rebuild their lives. I know what that feels like because I have lived it.”

That connection has helped him earn the trust of the communities he serves.

“Thomas deeply understands the conflict dynamics and provides analysis rooted in lived experience. This enriches our civilian protection efforts and fosters community trust,” says his team leader, Charles Okwir.

For Thomas, peacebuilding is about helping families rebuild safely, encouraging dialogue amid fear and mistrust, and giving young people the chance to imagine a future beyond violence.

During violence in Tambura, he continued supporting affected communities despite the risks.

“There were moments when I heard gunfire and remembered my own escape years earlier. But seeing the families around me, I knew I had to stand with them.”

Community leader Ippai Christine says Thomas’s journey shows adversity doesn't have to define a person’s future.

“He left as a refugee, pursued education, and returned to serve his people. His journey shows hardship can shape rather than break you.”

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By Denis Louro