When I first came to Kenya I was so withdrawn, I didn’t speak, I had no thoughts of the future. Now I am able to think about the future. Since coming to RefugePoint, that has been the biggest change for me.
– Belvie,* RefugePoint client
Pictured here, a family with whom RefugePoint worked for many years puts their feet together one last time in their home in Nairobi, before embarking on their resettlement journey. The following day this family was resettled, and began a new life together in Canada.
Belvie,* a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, faced many challenges and traumas when she fled to Kenya. When Belvie’s best friend died suddenly and left behind two children, Belvie took them in and cared for them, despite having very few resources. “The children have brought a lot of purpose and drive to my life. When I first took the children in, I never thought I would be able to care for them. But then, I stayed with them, I grew to love them, and I knew I couldn’t let them go. When I first came to Kenya I was so withdrawn, I didn’t speak, I had no thoughts of the future. I was just living. I was just there. Now I am able to think about the future. I am able to think about what I am going to do tomorrow. Since coming to RefugePoint, that has been the biggest change for me.”
Among Congolese families identified for resettlement, one in every three cares for a child who is not their own.
*Name changed for anonymity