Yvonne is studying Economics at Kigali Independent University in Rwanda
A college scholarship is life-changing for any student, but for refugee students like Yvonne, the chance to attend college opens doors to a future once thought unimaginable.
Yvonne’s family fled violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012 when she was a child. They found refuge in Rwanda, first at the Kigeme refugee camp and then, in 2019, at the Mahama refugee camp. A dedicated student, Yvonne excelled in primary school and earned a spot at one of Mahama’s boarding schools for girls. In high school, Yvonne witnessed some of the older students graduate and earn college scholarships. She began to envision a future beyond the camp.
“’Why not me?’ I said to myself. I used to think that I wanted to finish high school, and after, I just wanted to have some money,” Yvonne recalls. “The experience my family had, and just being a refugee, being in a camp, it’s not a good life, it’s not easy.”
Yvonne continued to excel in high school and grew more inspired by older students whose academic success provided a path out of the camp.
But the path to higher education for refugee girls, even exceptional students like Yvonne, is exceedingly difficult. Globally, only 9 percent of refugee students have access to higher education. At the high school level, for every 10 boys enrolled, only seven girls have the same opportunity. The consequences for refugee girls are dire: they are more vulnerable to exploitation, early marriage and social isolation. College scholarships, such as the UNHCR-supported DAFI scholarship, are one way the UN Refugee Agency helps refugee scholars like Yvonne keep their dreams alive.
Yvonne graduated from high school and passed the Rwandan national exams required for college admission, but was still uncertain about how she could earn a scholarship. A high school friend pushed her to apply for DAFI. “I didn’t have a phone or access to the internet,” shares Yvonne. “How was I going to apply?” With her friend’s help, Yvonne gathered all the required documents and applied for a DAFI scholarship. Although excited about the possibility of a scholarship, Yvonne understood that thousands of refugee students apply every year, and very few receive one.
“I remember it was the last day to hear [about the scholarship] and I got the email saying that I was accepted to DAFI,” Yvonne shares. “I just lay down and said, ‘My God, thank you very much.’ I don’t know how I can express it, but my feelings were so emotional. It is among the best days I have ever had in my life.”
Today, Yvonne is a third-year Economics student at Kigali Independent University. Her DAFI scholarship covers tuition and school fees, as well as a modest stipend for expenses such as rent and transportation, including school holiday trips back to Mahama refugee camp, where her family still lives.
“I don’t know how to explain my excitement for everything she has achieved,” Yvonne’s mother shares with a bright smile. “I hope she will have a brighter future because she was able to go to university. My message to my daughter is to continue her studies and be courageous.”
While Yvonne continues to excel in her classes and work toward her degree, she remains aware that many refugee girls don’t have the same opportunities. “They wish to get a scholarship because they want to study, because they know that education is important,” says Yvonne.
To address the critical need to support more refugee girls’ education, USA for UNHCR’s Women’s Committee launched the Building Better Futures campaign. The campaign is dedicated to improving access to higher education for refugee girls, with the goal of funding 1,000 scholars over the next four years, increasing the number of refugee women pursuing a university education by 20 percent.
Asked about the near future, Yvonne expressed that she wants to be economically independent and to help her family and other students who want to pursue higher education.
“There is hope. And if you are coming from the camp and coming here to college, we have hope that someday things will be different. We are here [at school] for good, for studying, which will change our lives.” (End).