# Mary Maker

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**Mary Maker** is a South Sudanese refugee, [UNHCR](/source/United_Nations_High_Commissioner_for_Refugees) Goodwill Ambassador and education advocate.[1][2][3] She is a former teacher at [Kakuma Refugee Camp](/source/Kakuma) to a class of 120 students.[4][5][6] She is also an actor, [TED speaker](/source/List_of_TED_speakers), and a writer.[7][3]

## Early life

Mary Maker was born in South Sudan during the civil war. She fled her home country as an infant to Kakuma Regugee Camp. She found a temporary shelter in Kakuma.

## Education

Mary is currently pursuing further studies in Theater and Political Science with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies at St. Olaf College Minnesota after receiving a scholarship from [Mastercard Foundation](/source/Mastercard_Foundation) scholarship program.[7][1][4][8]

## Achievements

In 2021, Mary Maker joined hands with Dudi Miabok and Diing Manyang who are her fellow refugees in founding Elimisha Kakuma, a college preparatory educational program for high school graduates in the Kakuma camp.[9]

She also appeared in [Ep. 355 of "The Career Ladder"](https://youtube.com/shorts/fCYXkTc2WKA?si=zWCFJmg61z0gEBTw) where she shared her experiences with the host.

## See also

- [Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya](/source/Kakuma_Refugee_Camp,_Kenya)
- [TED Speakers](/source/List_of_TED_speakers)
- [Ger Duany](/source/Ger_Duany)
- [Emtithal Mahmoud](/source/Emtithal_Mahmoud)
- [Mercy Akuot](/source/Mercy_Akuot)

## References

1. ["Prominent Supporter Mary Maker"](https://www.unhcr.org/prominent-supporters/mary-maker). *UNHCR*. Retrieved 10 December 2023.

1. ["Mary Maker, Refugee Activist and Co-Founder"](https://thepienews.com/pie-chat/mary-maker-refugee-activist-and-co-founder/). *thepienews.com*. 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. ["Meet Mary Maker: UNHCR newest global goodwill ambassador"](https://onecitizendaily.com/index.php/2023/03/10/meet-mary-maker-unhcr-newest-global-goodwill-ambassador/). *One Citizen Daily*. 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. ["Mary Nyiriak Maker Deng Malou"](https://resolutionproject.org/fellows/mary-nyiriak-maker-deng-malou/). *The Resolution Project*. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. Maker, Mary. ["Mary Maker | Speaker | TED"](https://www.ted.com/speakers/mary_maker). *www.ted.com*. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. Nicholson, Reah (2019-03-07). ["Education Activist Mary Maker Speaks at Meredith College"](https://www.meredith.edu/news/education-activist-mary-maker-speaks-at-meredith-college/). *Meredith College*. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. ["Mary Maker"](https://refugeelaw.mk/en/speakers/mary-maker/). *RefugeeLaw.mk*. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. College, St Olaf (2022-11-18). ["St. Olaf student's work provides a powerful voice for refugees"](https://wp.stolaf.edu/news/st-olaf-students-work-provides-a-powerful-voice-for-refugees). *St. Olaf College*. Retrieved 2023-12-10.

1. Mathieson, Rich. ["The refugee who refused to be an untold story"](https://news.vt.edu/content/news_vt_edu/en/articles/2024/11/outreach-iew-mary-maker.html). *news.vt.edu*. Retrieved 2025-08-26.

## External links

- [Mary Maker – My Story](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0MN_PnPe0)
- [The Little Things | Mary Maker | TEDxStOlafCollege on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enl2k_ty9WI)
- [Why UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Mary Maker Has Hope Away From Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZviLQ7jezxY)
- [Mary Maker](https://marymaker.org/)
- [Why I fight for the education of refugee girls (like me)](https://www.ted.com/talks/mary_maker_why_i_fight_for_the_education_of_refugee_girls_like_me?language=en)
- [Collaborating with industry-leading brands to craft compelling and influential thought leadership advertising campaigns.](https://tedpartnerships.com/)
- [Mary M. | Devex](https://www.devex.com/people/mary-m-1652565)
- [Mary Maker](https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/our-partners/prominent-supporters/goodwill-ambassadors/mary-maker)
- [Mary Maker Speaks at Global Impact Forum](https://www.c-span.org/program/campaign-2024/un-refugee-agency-goodwill-ambassador-speaks-at-global-impact-forum/643176)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mary Maker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Maker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Maker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.