Trésor Mpauni, founder of Tumaini Letu and the Tumaini Festival, has been selected as an Ashoka Fellow for 2025, joining a global network of leading social innovators. Ashoka describes his work as one that “overturns conventional views of refugees, positioning them not as beneficiaries of charity but as creators, hosts, and leaders.”
The fellowship recognizes Mpauni’s refugee‑led model that uses arts, culture, and tourism to expand economic opportunity and challenge restrictive policies affecting refugees in Malawi. His initiatives — including the Tumaini Festival and the Dzaleka Homestay Program — have drawn more than 230,000 visitors, generated over $1.25 million for the community, and supported thousands of refugee entrepreneurs.
Ashoka highlights the model’s potential for replication across Africa, noting plans to expand to Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. The organization calls Tumaini Letu a “credible blueprint” for shifting refugee inclusion policies and strengthening refugee leadership across the continent.
Mpauni’s election marks a significant milestone for Dzaleka Refugee Camp and for refugee‑led innovation globally.
Learn more: https://www.ashoka.org/en-us/fellow/tresor-mpauni
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