Duku Fore's amazing journey
Duku Fore: sharing stories that inspire
From an Ugandan refugee camp, to a Logan paper delivery route, to centre stage at the UN in New York City – life has taken Duku Fore on a spectacular journey.
The alumnus of Kingston State School and Woodridge State High School overcame not being able to speak English, and a speech impediment to become an internationally in-demand inspirational speaker, business owner and author.
Even when surrounded by people who spoke a different language, in a new country – a space many would find intimidating – he was simply curious.
“When we moved to Australia I was 10, and went from living where everyone looked like me and spoke my language, to an ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom in Logan surrounded by all of this amazing diversity,” says Duku.
“It was incredible and the thing I felt most of all was a desire to know everyone’s stories.”
Storytelling – a gift handed to Duku from his grandmother, who would turn complex concepts into fables for him and his seven siblings – is what drives Duku.
And he has done a lot.
After leaving school, Duku ditched the paper round that took him all over Logan – “I know every street here”, he says – and studied Law at QUT.
There, he was the recipient of the Law Founders’ Scholarship and represented Australia at the UN Youth Assembly.
“That was amazing,” Duku says.
“Someone like me, born in a refugee camp, dreams of America because it is the land of the free; and dreams of New York because it is the city that never sleeps. So to be there, at the UN, I felt like all my dreams had come true.”
Duku is also a 2-time TEDx speaker and is comfortable speaking to international audiences.
“It was incredible and the thing I felt most of all was a desire to know everyone’s stories.”
— Duku Fore
Duku's TedX Talk
In October this year, though, he spoke a little closer to home. Duku returned to Logan, speaking to high school students who this year participated in Council-run programs CityStudio Logan and Catapult.
“Although I speak internationally, it is important to me to come back to Logan and speak to people here – I was one of these students,” he says.
“If people only ever saw me speaking at the UN they might feel that is out of their reach; but if they see my journey, my self doubt, and the path that I took to got there, their own dreams seem achievable.”
Duku’s memoir, The Poor Kid With Rich Dreams, was published in 2020. He also runs a wholesale supply businesses, and is developing an app focused on sharing success journeys, called Rich Dreams.
For more information about Duku’s story, head to his website dukuinspires.com.
This project was completed as part of CityStudio Logan which was operational from July 1st, 2018 to June 30th, 2023. For more information on CityStudio, please visit www.citystudioglobal.com
Duku talks to Logan students in October.
