Journey into the mind and life of a South Sudanese refugee – with a UN audio show from the safety of Wan Chai

The sound of gunshots and the voices of militia fighters are the kind of threatening noise most Hongkongers only hear on television in one of the wealthiest and safest cities in the world.

But this weekend residents and visitors are getting a rare chance to experience the distress millions of people endure every day in conflict zones around the world – by going on an “audio journey” in Wan Chai.

The United Nations Refugee Agency has set up three tables with headphones and eye masks at Central Piazza in Lee Tung Avenue, through which city dwellers can embark on a seven-minute journey into the life of Nadima, a fictional 13-year-old girl fleeing South Sudan for Uganda.

Nadima’s story is based on the real life accounts of refugees who have escaped the African country, which saw another outbreak of violence last year. She is “a character used to portray the situation in South Sudan and the individual experiences of refugees who were forced to flee”, said Andrew Mok, associate refugee status determination officer for the agency there.

“It’s a way of bringing people together to understand a bit more about what a refugee feels and what they go through.