“Connect us to opportunities” – Bella, a refugee youth speaks out

My name is Christa Bella, 19, a Burundian refugee living in Mahama Refugee Camp. I'm a high school graduate, and I'm ready to join my university soon. I got a scholarship in Mauritius, and I'm still in the process of finding my visa so that I can leave in November this year to study entrepreneurial leadership.

But my journey as a refugee youth has not always been smooth.

When violence broke out in my country in 2015, I was nine years old. It was a very hard time for me and my family because we suddenly had to flee and become refugees.

After spending two months in Gashora Transit Centre, we reached Mahama Refugee Camp, in the eastern part of Rwanda. That's where everything started to get tougher and tougher.

I really like studying. It's my comfort being in a class. It's my comfort place to be studying. But back then, we were very crowded in a class at that time. It was very hard to manage. It's very hard to get attention from your teacher, when you are too many like that.

Studying was very hard for me because we were transitioning from one language to another –from French to English – it wasn't easy at all. Resources were scarce. My mom had to find something to do and my dad, too, so that we can get some basics.

There was a time when I felt like I was done, like everything was over. I felt like giving up.

At that time, I was in the senior three, I succeeded well and had good grades. I dreamed of studying outside the camp, but then I lost the support needed to attend boarding school.

I was full of despair, but then at the last moment, there was a new project called EDUFAM [Éducation des filles pour un avenir Meilleur] in partnership with Maison Shalom that came in to help and paid my school fees. I was able to attend a boarding school in Nyagatare where I got to develop myself.

My journey is not unique – it is shared by many refugee youth worldwide, each carrying memories of hardship and hopes for the future.

I don’t want to be called a refugee forever. I want to bring change wherever I go. What we refugee youth need most are opportunities.

To leaders and decision-makers: don’t forget us, we need your hands. Support us financially but also connect us to opportunities you can see but we cannot reach. Be our voice and let your voice reach where we cannot reach.

Most importantly, access to quality education is one thing refugee youth can hold onto to keep their dreams alive. Nelson Mandela once said that “education is a powerful weapon that we can use to change the world.” Education is a powerful weapon to change everything, it's a powerful weapon to change our mind and go beyond our limits. It's a powerful weapon that helps youth reach a place where they can stand tall wherever they go or wherever they dream to be. Whether to be a leader, a good businessperson, or a confident speaker – all of that requires education.

I am grateful to all people who support us as refugees. I thank all people who value our status, don't throw us away, and give us a table to learn.

Last but not least, I am grateful to the Rwandan government for giving us access to opportunities like everyone else. Thanks to that support, I still have dreams. I am still able to navigate my future with the purpose and confidence.