ALEK WEK (SUDAN)
Alek Wek, one of Africa’s few internationally recognised supermodels, is also known for her active support for humanitarian causes. She is a member of the United States Committee for Refugees’ Advisory Council and is helping to raise awareness about the situation in Sudan. These issues are close to her heart as Wek fled to Britain to escape the civil war in Sudan when she was just nine years old, before being discovered at a London market by a talent scout at the age of 18. She has campaigned for the plight of refugees worldwide and was honoured by the International Rescue Committee in November 2010 as one of 10 “Refugees of Distinction.” Wek is also works with Unicef, is a missionary for World Vision, an organisation that combats Aids and is also an ambassador for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan.