Lewis Hamilton speaks up on plight of refugees in Africa

Lewis Hamilton has spoken out over the plight of refugees and displaced people in Africa, decrying the lack of empathy toward them in the UK. He pledged to consider what he could do to support them after an emotional visit to the continent during the Formula One summer break.

was speaking before this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the first since the sport shut down for the summer, during which period the British driver travelled in Africa, visiting Senegal and Morocco and then the Maratane refugee settlement in the north of Mozambique, where he saw the work of the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR

When asked if the plight of refugees was not sufficiently recognised in the UK, the seven-time world champion was unequivocal.

“1000%. If you don’t see it and experience it or speak to someone who has been seriously affected by it, you couldn’t even imagine. We need more empathy for it for sure,” he said. “I’ve been to Africa before so it’s not the first time I have been shocked by it. It gets me working my mind. It’s great to see organisations like the UNHCR who do amazing work and so I think: ‘How can I get on board, how can I help?’ So that’s now what I am trying to do.”

The UNHCR cites Mozambique as being home to over 33,000 refugees and asylum seekers and more than 830,000 displaced people, because of conflicts and natural disasters. Hamilton, who has been outspoken on social issues including equality and diversity in the past and invested in projects to improve both in F1, said the experience had a profound effect

am still digesting the trip, going to a refugee camp and seeing the work being done there, how people who are displaced are affected,” he said. “It’s one thing reading about it or being on the news but actually seeing or speaking to kids who are walking 10km to school to get an education then walking 10km back.

“They have tough lives over there and it is mostly women and children that are affected the most. There wasn’t a lot of men because they are either killed or taken in the different conflict areas. That was really heavy to see and experience