Born into war

I started my life differently to that of my eight brothers and sisters.

They were all born in the hospital with the help of doctors and nurses. However, against all odds, my mother gave birth to me at home in the bathroom by herself, during the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I was raised by both my parents in a family of nine children, six girls and three boys. We shared good moments, dreams and developed a special family bond.

Then, in a blink of an eye, everything was shattered. Dad went away for his safety, and mum, by herself, had to be the breadwinner for nine children. My mother is an incredibly strong woman and we share an extremely close bond. She has taught me many lessons about being strong woman and overcoming obstacles. 

 

 

My siblings and I experienced unsettling interruptions to our education due to the war in which UNICEF played an important role in providing us with stationery so we could keep studying.

After couple of months our family spilt up again for the second time. Out of 11 people in my family only three were together (my mum, myself and my brother) with our strong Christian belief we firmly held to hope and perseverance to overcome adversity.

In 2010 we moved to Kenya as refugees. Everything was new. We faced difficulties in understanding the customs and social norms, as well as financial difficulties. We struggled to fit into a different education system, and language barriers meant I had to repeat a grade.

Despite no one in my family holding a degree or any qualification, my mum has always encouraged me to pursue and firmly hold onto education as a way to change our lives.
 

After a couples of months we were reunited with my dad and one of my brothers in Kenya. This was a terrific moment for us although both my parents were without work, and the circumstances compelled us to live in a one room flat with five people.

At the age of 12, I vividly remember going to the markets to clean people’s shops to contribute to our survival. At the same time I worked hard in school, and was appointed as prefect from grade 3 to 8. I received a scholarship for my high school which gave me sense of purpose and meaning in life.

 

After living in Kenya for six years and 3 months holding to hope, my family was privileged to be resettled in Australia in April 2017, through the Humanitarian Visa Program with the help of Murray Valley Sanctuary Refugee Group, a community refugee support in Albury-Wodonga.