Anyone who follows fashion weeks closely will have seen our March cover model Mary Ukech on almost every catwalk, including at Chanel. She told us about her everyday life on and off the runway. Even though she is in demand in the fashion capitals of the world, Mary invests a lot of time in her Ukech Charity Foundation to give people in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where she herself grew up, a better life.
FACES: Mary, this is your second time on our cover! How does it feel to see your face on a magazine cover?
Mary Ukech: It’s always a dream to be on the cover of a magazine. It feels fantastic.
F: You recently walked for Chanel Couture and Ready to Wear. That must have been a huge milestone for you. How surreal did it feel to walk in a Chanel show?
MU: Chanel has been one of my dream shows ever since I started modeling. When I got the call that I was confirmed for my first Chanel show, I didn’t sleep all night. I was way too excited and just couldn’t wait for the day of the show. It felt so surreal – a huge thank you to Matthieu Blazy and casting director Anita Bitton for making my dream come true.
F: It seems like you’ve walked pretty much every runway in the last few years. What was your favorite show you’ve ever walked in?
MU: I have so many favorites, but these are my top 3:
My very first catwalk show: Versace FW22.
My very first Chanel catwalk show: SS26.
And of course every Yves Saint Laurent show I’ve been to. YSL is always legendary.
F: You grew up in the Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya and now spend time in the world’s major fashion capitals. How does it feel to look back and how do you find your way in these very different worlds?
MU: When I traveled for the first time, it was certainly very difficult. Everything was different: new people, big cities, different food. But my agents at IMG helped me to cope with the new environment. I remember that my agent at the time, Luis, often took me for walks around the city and introduced me to other models. And I soon got used to the new surroundings. Everyone I met was nice and friendly, and that made everything much easier for me. I always had the best support network around me, which made it a lot easier for me to find my way around.
Q: How did you get into modeling in the first place?
MU: In my last year at school, I took part in a modeling competition and that’s where I got to know modeling. However, I had never heard of modeling abroad and knew nothing about fashion weeks. Three years later, I was discovered on Instagram and signed with IMG Worldwide. I was hesitant at first, my family was against it because the idea of going abroad to model didn’t seem realistic. But I gave it a go – and here we are.
F: In a personal essay, you once wrote about the difficulties you went through in the refugee camp. What would you like to say about what it’s like to grow up in a refugee camp and how people from outside can help?
MU: Growing up in a refugee camp is incredibly difficult. We rely on the UNHCR and UNICEF for everything – food, healthcare and so on. Many have fled their countries because of war and insecurity and came here with nothing, so they have to start their lives from scratch. Starting a life where there are no jobs and you don’t have enough money to build a business makes it hard for them to provide for their families. We have so many orphans who have to fend for themselves. And recently it has become even more difficult. Many organizations that used to help have now had to accept budget cuts and are withdrawing their help, which brings with it many new challenges. Children cannot go to school because they have no books, there are huge food shortages, some communities have no access to clean and safe water and the health system has completely collapsed.
People from outside can definitely help by raising awareness. No one becomes a refugee by choice. They were forced to be there by wars and insecurity in their countries. And they deserve to live like any other human being. They deserve better education, better healthcare, better housing. The children deserve to go to school and they deserve clean and safe water.
Q: What gave you strength during these times?
MU: I always knew that life outside the refugee camp was so much better. The first time I left the camp was when I got a university scholarship to study in Nairobi. When I left, I got to see life outside the camp and that really opened my eyes. I swore to myself that I would never give up. I kept working hard and that got me to where I am today. And I have made it my mission to keep going back to the camp and give these young girls and boys hope. Life will be better one day.
F: You founded the Ukech Charity Foundation. Tell us more about it. How has it developed in recent years and what are your goals for the foundation?
MU: I launched the Ukech Charity Foundation in December 2024. The main reason for setting up the foundation was that I wanted to give something back to the community I come from. I know the difficulties that people from the refugee camp face and I wanted to remind them that they are not forgotten. Within a year, we have managed to help around 1,000 families through food aid, educational support, help with housing and accommodation, support for people with disabilities and inclusion, and bringing communities together through sport. This has really made me very proud and I am just so happy and grateful for all my friends who have supported me in this.
We have so many goals for the foundation. This year we want to bring clean and safe water to communities that don’t have access to it. We want to help families start businesses that will enable them to provide for themselves. We want to start a free digital computer program where we can teach youth basic computer skills. We want to bring long-term change so that the refugees in the camp can build something for themselves, and we hope to get support and donations from people so that we can make all of this happen.
F: You started studying clinical child neuropsychology in Nairobi, Kenya. Is that something you want to continue pursuing, or is modeling your top priority at the moment?
MU: Yes, I would actually like to continue pursuing that. Clinical child neuropsychology is about assessing, diagnosing and treating brain disorders such as ADHD in children. Where I come from, many parents don’t know that much about it, and that’s what made me choose this course. I had a neighbor whose child was paralyzed because he didn’t breathe for a while at birth, and she didn’t understand it at all. That’s why I want to continue studying the subject, so that I can go back, do educational work and educate parents about neurodevelopmental disorders.
Q: What are you most grateful for in life?
MU: I’m grateful for how far I’ve come and for everything I’ve achieved.
And for being able to do something good for the people in the refugee camp.
Q: What’s on your bucket list?
MU: Be on the cover of Vogue. Become a Victoria’s Secret Angel. Get a tattoo. And see the Northern Lights.
Q: Tell us something unexpected about yourself.
MU: I’m good at crocheting and making my own outfits. And I’m a businesswoman – I’m interested in real estate.
Q: How do you spend your free time when you’re not working as a model?
MU: I watch a lot of movies. And I do that while I’m crocheting. I also like to be outside a lot, especially in summer. And during the vacations, I always go to camp to do charity work with my foundation.
Q: How would you describe your personal style?
MU: Chic, sophisticated and playful.
Q: Do you prefer photo shoots or catwalks?
MU: I prefer photo shoots.
Q: What would you change about the modeling industry if you could?
MU: There is always an age limit at which you should start modeling, and I think that’s perhaps a little unfair.
Q: How do you imagine your life in a few years’ time?
MU: I imagine myself traveling around the world and helping a lot of people through my foundation. I just hope that my foundation will grow, and I also hope that we get a lot of support, funding and donors so that we can help more and more people – not just in Kenya, but also in my home country of South Sudan and in other countries.
Here you can find more information about Mary Ukech’s Charity Foundation.
Photos: © Launchmetrics Spotlight
Here you can see who was on our cover last time.
