Israel’s community of refugees are taking storytelling of their roots and shared experiences into their own hands. Naka Pitia, 28, was born in Egypt to refugee parents of South Sudanese origin outside of the country, has taken telling the stories of her community into her own hands, who in May is launching a podcast giving a voice to Africans in Israel and beyond.
The podcast, “Behind the Silence of Africa,” will highlight stories of Israel’s asylum seekers and their origins, as well as their community’s collective struggle.
This initiative, which Pitia hopes will bring a much-needed voice to the asylum-seeking community, addresses the religious persecution, terrorism, and difficulties many refugees faced in their search for a better life, bringing them to Israel.
At just 28 years old, Pitia has already experienced a journey most can only imagine—a life marked by escape, exile, activism, and a desire to amplify the voices of the marginalized.
Pitia’s path to Israel was fraught with uncertainty, challenges, and an unyielding drive to fight for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, participating in demonstrations for her community in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square as a kid.
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
Much like many of her peers, Pitia’s family fled to Israel as their second stop in the their asylum journey, after conflict in Egypt pushed her family to go to Israel when she was just 9 years old. Eventually living in Nahariya, her family spent a year in a shelter for refugee women and children in Haifa.
Her family’s sense of security was only short-lived; in 2012, Nakia and many other South Sudanese refugees were deported by the Israeli government, despite their claims for asylum.
Though she never knew life in South Sudan, she was sent back with her family. They found their way to Uganda in search of better educational opportunities for Pitia and her siblings, as her mother was a teacher and placed da high emphasis on the importance on education.
Through the connections they had made while in Israel, Pitia’s high level of English landed her a unique opportunity for a scholarship from the Eastern Mediterranean International School, which was brand new. She would come back to Israel for a boarding opportunity, and while a student she once again began the process of seeking asylum in Israel — with little to no movement in that time.
Despite the hardship, Pitia’s passion for education and his desire to advocate for other refugees never wavered. Even in Uganda, she began to see the importance of education as a vehicle for changing one’s story—a lesson that would define his future work.
A vocal advocate for the rights of refugees
Upon her return, Pitia became a vocal advocate for the rights of refugees, particularly South Sudanese asylum seekers, who often faced deportation and lack of support in Israel. His activism led him to join the African Jewish Alliance, an organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of Christians in Africa and raising awareness about the plight of marginalized groups.
As she became more involved in public speaking and community advocacy, he realized the need for a platform to elevate the stories of refugees and asylum seekers—stories that often went untold and unheard. This led to the creation of "Behind the Silence of Africa", a podcast aimed at shedding light on the hidden struggles faced by refugees, including religious persecution, terrorism, and the ongoing battle for survival.
The podcast, which will launch with 10 episodes, is Pitia’s way of offering a platform for those whose voices are often silenced. "Behind the Silence of Africa" will feature personal stories from refugees, activists, and musicians, highlighting the realities of being displaced and the challenges of living in limbo. Nakia hopes to use this podcast as a tool for social justice, amplifying marginalized voices and fostering greater understanding of the refugee experience.
Expected guests and topics include a Sudanese refugee, residing in Israel, who competed in the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) team in the Olympics, and the creation of the African-Jewish Alliance after the October 7 massacre, focusing on the fight against the spread of extremist Islam and religious persecution.