“Since I came from there to here, I have never communicated with them,” Anjelina Nadai Lohalith said about her parents, who she last saw when she fled the war in South Sudan, aged six.

As she prepares to represent the first refugee team at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this August, the 21-year-old hopes that through success in running she can be reunited with her family again.

Lohalith has been living in Kenya for 14 years (Photo: IOC)

In 2001, Lohalith had to leave her home when her country was gripped by civil war and violence closed in on her village. “Everything was destroyed” Lohalith says, who is just one of the many thousands of children who were displaced and/or orphaned because of fighting in the country.

Lohalith arrived in northern Kenya in 2002, settling in the Kakuma refugee camp, where she has spent the majority of her life. While attending primary school in the camp she took up running, a sport in which she naturally excelled.

Inspirational coach

However, despite winning various school competitions, it was only when professional coaches came to Kakuma to hold selection trials for a special training camp, that she discovered just how good she was. “It came as a surprise,” she says. “When I was in primary school I used to do it for fun. But during the selection it was just like a trial, but suddenly they say ‘you will be going for training here’.”

Lohalith was selected, to train under Olympic champion marathon runner Tegla Loroupe at her sports foundation in Nairobi. Here, the 1500m runner trains with four other runners from South Sudan who will participate in the Olympic refugee team at Rio 2016. The team also includes two swimmers from Syria, two judokas from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a marathon runner from Ethiopia.

Brazil to welcome refugee team with 'open arms'

Upon announcing the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) earlier this month, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said it would raise awareness of the refugee crisis, which according to the United Nations stands at over 59 million displaced people.

“This will be a symbol of hope for all the refugees in our world, and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis. It is also a signal to the international community that refugees are our fellow human beings and are an enrichment to society,” said Bach

'I feel Brazilian,' says Syrian refugee who carried Olympic torch in Brasília

Lohalith trains with four of her compatriots under marathon legend Tegla Loroupe in Nairobi (Photo: IOC)

Lohalith believes the refugee team at Rio 2016 will inspire other people who have been displaced the world. “I’m happy because it will be the first time refugees are represented in the Olympics. It will inspire other refugees because wherever they are they will see that they are not just the ‘other people’. They will have that encouragement that they can compete in anyway.”

Syrian refugee calls for peace after carring Olympic torch in Athens

Lohalith thinks about her parents all the time and hopes that through her success in running she will be able to help them. “If I succeed I might earn some money to improve the life of my family. My dream is just to help my parents and help my father build a better house.”

Rio2016.com is profiling each of the 10 athletes in the Olympic refugee team. Also see:

Syrian swimmer Rami Anis’s journey from Aleppo to the Rio 2016 Games

Yiech Pur Biel, the ‘Lost Boy’ who found a sense of belonging in athletics

James Chiengjiek’s escape from the clutches of war to Rio 2016

Prolific marathon runner Yonas Kinde finally able to compete at Olympic Games