Sisters in a Refugee Camp: Rapping and Forward Thinking
In Sisters in a Refugee Camp: Rapping and Forward Thinking, host Radzi Chinyanganya introduces Hiba and Rama, two sisters who live in the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. The sisters use rap as a creative outlet to express their struggles, dreams, and experiences of growing up in a refugee camp. Their music addresses the challenges they face as refugees, including the loss of their home, displacement, and the lack of education. The video also highlights their aspirations for the future and the power of youth empowerment through creativity. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My World, a program created for teenagers eager to learn more about the important stories shaping our world.
Lesson Express
Q: Why do you think the sisters use rap as their creative outlet?
A: Student answers will vary. Students may discuss how rap music gives the sisters a voice and allows them to express their emotions, experiences, and aspirations. They may also explore how music can be a powerful tool for social change and empowerment, particularly in difficult circumstances.
Q: What social issues concern Hiba and Rama?
A: Student answers will vary. Students may identify issues such as displacement, lack of education, and the challenges faced by refugee children in the camp. They might also discuss how these issues affect their ability to build a better future.
Q: How can creativity, like rap music, help young people cope with adversity?
A: Student answers will vary. Students can explore the role of creative expression in processing trauma, raising awareness about social issues, and empowering individuals to take control of their narratives.
More Like This

In Picasso: Guernica, host Lily Cole examines the iconic Cubist painting "Guernica," created by Pablo Picasso during World War II. Discover how Picasso's masterpiece reflects the horrors of war, particularly the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica by Nazi forces. Through abstract imagery, Picasso conveyed the anguish and chaos of the conflict. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.


In The Largest Refugee Camp on Earth, narrator Simon Reeve journeys to the refugee camp of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh: the Kutupalong refugee camp. The Rohingya people fled Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) after violent attacks by the police in 2017, when nearly 700,000 refugees poured into Bangladesh. This video is excerpted from BBC's Burma with Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve travels to beautiful and troubled Burma (now Myanmar).


In Picasso: Guernica, host Lily Cole examines the iconic Cubist painting "Guernica," created by Pablo Picasso during World War II. Discover how Picasso's masterpiece reflects the horrors of war, particularly the bombing of the Spanish town of Guernica by Nazi forces. Through abstract imagery, Picasso conveyed the anguish and chaos of the conflict. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.


In The Largest Refugee Camp on Earth, narrator Simon Reeve journeys to the refugee camp of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh: the Kutupalong refugee camp. The Rohingya people fled Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) after violent attacks by the police in 2017, when nearly 700,000 refugees poured into Bangladesh. This video is excerpted from BBC's Burma with Simon Reeve, in which Simon Reeve travels to beautiful and troubled Burma (now Myanmar).
