Growing Up As A Refugee In Congo

I was born in the Republic of Congo, where my family fled from Rwanda to escape genocide. Growing up as a refugee in Congo was a daily hardship. My parents struggled to provide the basic necessities for my four siblings and me. The stress of living as refugees began to tear my family apart. My parents divorced in 2005, when I was only five years old. My mother struggled to keep our family together and to provide for all of us. She passionately believed in the power of education. She would try to scrape together enough money to send us to school. There were many times when me and my brothers would help sell jugs of water in the streets of Brazzaville to make enough money for school fees and lunches.

School in Congo was not an easy experience. I suffered from Asthma, which often caused me to miss several days of school because we did not have access to adequate medical care. I would work twice as hard after each bout of Asthma to catch up for missed days because I wanted to excel and make my mother proud. Despite these challenges, I would still take-home top student honors each year.

My brothers and sister and I constantly worried about our future and ways we could make things easier for our mother. I remember the day our mother told us that we would be

I realized I loved working with computer technology when I was selected for the elite Technology Academy at Kent Meridian High School. At the Technology Academy, I developed an App called “FocusNow” where fellow students could check on their grades, attendance and progress from their phones. This process encouraged me to continue to learn and grow in the field of computer science so that I can inspire others just like me. As a result of my life experience so far, I am drawn to provide creative solutions to problems through technology. Especially in developing countries just like Congo where access to technology and computers are