Technology brings higher education opportunities to refugee women in Kiziba camp

The journey to getting an education has not been an easier one for Toyota, a 31-year-old Congolese refugee and mother of three, living in Kiziba refugee camp. As a child she spent her formative years in a small, peaceful village in North Kivu but where education opportunities were limited especially for girls.

When conflict broke out in 1996, Toyota and her family fled to Rwanda. It was only when they were finally settled in Kiziba refugee camp that she was able to start school.

Growing up in the refugee camp, Toyota was determined to pursue her dream of becoming an educated woman despite all challenges. “If you don’t fight for what you want, don’t cry for what you lose,” she states defiantly.

Taking this mantra to heart, Toyota completed her secondary education and went on to enroll in university. Life, however, once again got in the way. Financial challenges, getting married and becoming pregnant meant that Toyota had to put her dreams on hold.

She joined her husband in his agricultural businesses, rearing goats and chickens but deep down knew this wasn’t her passion and felt devastated about the fact she had given up on her education.  With the encouragement from friends and family, however, in 2016 Toyota attempted to resume her studies once again.

This was helped by the fact that Kepler University had set up their campus in Kiziba refugee camp in 2015, becoming one of the first programs to provide a fully accredited university degree in a refugee camp setting. Toyota jumped at the opportunity to enroll and became one of the over 195 refugee students who have since gone on to study for their degree in collaboration with Southern New Hampshire University.

The blend of online and in-person teaching, also provided Toyota the flexibility she needed to juggle life as a mother and a student.

“When I started, I was afraid of using the computer thinking I may damage it if I touch it. With hope and curiosity to learn more, I am proud of the level I have got to today,” she explains.

Despite the hesitant start, Toyota now credits technology as the reason why she is where she is today. It enabled her to pursue university while remaining close to her family in the refugee camp and challenge the norms she saw among her peers, many of whom remained housewives.

This year’s International Women’s Day calls for the use of innovation and technology to help achieve greater gender equality and empowerment.  Toyota says that this is especially needed in refugee camps like Kiziba where women lack confidence to engage with new technologies. Based on her own experiences, she is now “encouraging women that technology is not only in the hands of men, but also in the hands of women.”

Following this life-changing experience, Toyota now has a renewed sense of purpose. As she will complete her studies soon, she states she is ready to seize any opportunity that technology offers such as online jobs and trainings. A clear example of the transformational power of technology for refugee communities, and refugee women in particular.