“Being in school protects me” – Congolese refugee student

Dorcas Uwimbabazi was only five years old when her family was forced to flee war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). As she grew up in Rwanda’s Kigeme Refugee Camp, she saw school as a safe place that allowed her to plan for a better future.

Now in the fifth year of secondary school studying languages and literature at GS Gasaka in Nyamagabe District, the 18-year-old refugee student is following her childhood dream of becoming a journalist. She hopes to use her education one day to raise awareness and give a voice to those in her community.

“I would like to become a journalist and advocate for our communities, because journalists speak on behalf of people,” Dorcas says. “I want to speak for the next generation.”

Dorcas believes that going to school will not only help attain her professional dreams but also helps keep her away from distractions and temptations where they live.

“Being in school protects me from early pregnancy,” she says. “Sometimes, when girls drop out of school, you find that before even a year passes, some of them get pregnant and take on the responsibility of taking care their babies at young age. But when you are in school, you take care of yourself and focus on your future. That’s why I tell myself that I must study hard.”

Eric Habinshuti, 20, another Congolese refugee in Rwanda, shares a similar view. For him, going to school for refugee children is also a way to stay safe in a life with limited opportunities.

“Education is a strong protection for us refugee children because it keeps us off the streets,” he explains. “In the camp, there are no jobs and no land to farm. When we are at school, we gain knowledge that will help us survive in the outside world and support our families in the future.”

Eric Habinshuti, a Congolese refugee student at GS Gasaka

© UNHCR/Eric Didier Karinganire

Notably, Rwanda’s inclusive policy framework welcomes refugee children at the same schools alongside Rwandan pupils. Accessing this right in practice, however, entails modest costs related to school fees, meals and basic materials such as uniforms, notebooks and pens. Though modest, such costs are often beyond the very limited means of most refugee families in Rwanda.

Thankfully, generous contributions from the Entrecanales Family Foundation helps UNHCR cover such costs for Dorcas, Eric, and the over 45,000 other refugee children attending Rwandan schools. Dorcas notes that this project also provides sanitary materials as well, helping refugee girls feel comfortable and confident while attending school.

This support from the Entrecanales Family Foundation is vital to helping refugee children access secondary education in practice. The refugee students are grateful for this help, noting that it makes easier to concentrate on their studies.

“Mentally, we feel at ease because we don’t worry about going home to ask our parents for materials when we know they don’t have the means. That reduces stress,” Dorcas explains. “It helps improve my performance because when I have all the materials I need and my school fees are paid, the only thing required of me is to study. That motivates me – I tell myself, ‘If they have paid for me, how can I just sit and do nothing?”