I’m the first in my family to graduate high school. I’m really proud, and I am an example to my siblings.
That is actually what made me work so hard in school so that I can set an example for my brothers. I love videography and photography. I used to see my friends doing it, and it seemed like a lot of fun. So, I decided to pursue a course in videography and photography. I would like to learn the tricks they use to edit videos and capture scenes. Most of the time, I visit YouTube to learn when I don’t have classes.
I love going to school. Back in Congo [the Democratic Republic of Congo], where I’m from, going to school was hard, and the environment was challenging due to the civil war. Staying in school the whole day was really hard. After I came to Kenya, I had an opportunity to join a school, which was very different. We used to go to school the whole day, and it was really enjoyable, and that motivated me to love school. I remember that on my first day in school, I was told to write a composition about a game I love. When I recall what I wrote then, I laugh so much because I used the Kiswahili we used to speak back in Congo, and teachers made fun of my composition. It was not that easy, but I tried until I started performing well. I was also the best in mathematics in my class.
When I finished primary school, my parents sought assistance from RefugePoint to sponsor my high school education. In December 2019, I met Kimani [then Education officer], who interviewed me and reviewed my documents. Luckily, I qualified for the sponsorship, and in April 2020, I started my high school studies. I had the morale to study knowing that I didn’t have the school fees challenge. I had everything that I needed, so I was really motivated. I put all my energy into my education and learning new things in a new school.
After graduating from high school in 2023, I got another sponsorship opportunity through RefugePoint to study photography and videography, which I started in March 2024.
I enjoyed my studies and made friends in school. Photography and videography skills are additional skills that can offer opportunities for income generation. You can do it privately and continue working on other things, so it’s important for one to have extra skills because they will give you an advantage and a higher chance of getting a job. The most important thing I’ve learned through this education journey is to be humble and flexible with everything. I’ve also learned my rights because I’m a refugee. Where I come from, many don’t know how to speak or defend themselves. This has given me so many chances to understand myself and also to understand my fellow refugees.
I encourage people to go to school and study to know their rights and how to handle others. I think if our elders went to school and had an education, there would not be war or chaos in my country. We need to know how to solve problems, come to an understanding, and avoid the chaos in my country. If we want to change the mindset that refugees are just refugees, we can do it through education because education can change your life completely. I never thought I would be an important person as a refugee, but right now, I know that even if I’m a refugee, I have rights just like any other person in his or her own country.