In Search of an Identity
In Search of an Identity
Having fled his home in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo 26 years ago, Mupenzi proudly showcases his refugee ID card issued by the Government of Rwanda. Now aged 36, life has changed dramatically since he originally arrived in Rwanda at just 10 years old.
“When I left DRC, I was with my parents and siblings. We were 10 people in total. The journey to Rwanda wasn’t easy but at least we were together. We fled because we were persecuted and targeted by militias. While crossing the border, I was hit by a stone and was placed in a coma for 3 weeks. Once I recovered, I joined my family in Mudende refugee camp,” explains Mupenzi.
In 1997, only one year after fleeing their home, however, disaster struck again. Mupenzi’s parents and four of his siblings were killed by armed groups who attacked Mudende camp.
Aged only 11 years old, Mupenzi was left an orphan and alongside his younger brother were transferred to Kigali where they grew up in SOS Children’s Village. He had also been seriously injured during the attack and needed surgery to repair his left arm and wrist which had been shattered. Scars which he still lives with today.
Living in a children’s home, Mupenzi explains that he struggled to determine his own identity. “I had lost my parents, barely remembered life back in DRC, looking back now, I was definitely depressed.” With the psychological weight of everything he had been through, Mupenzi recalls how his teenage years were particularly difficult. Although he had the comfort of his younger brother alongside him, he says they barely talked about what had happened to them, instead just focusing on getting through the day to day.
In 2010, Mupenzi left the children’s village in Kigali and moved to Gihembe refugee camp. His two older siblings, like many other refugee families, had been transferred there.
Eleven years later though, following the closure of Gihembe camp due to environmental degradation, Mupenzi and his family were once again on the move. Alongside the other Congolese refugees, they were transferred to Mahama camp located in Eastern Province on the border with Tanzania. In Mahama, Mupenzi initially struggled to find work due to its remote location. Despite this, he persevered and today travels back and forth to Kigali trying to build a career for himself as a professional singer.
“I started singing in church. Then people gradually got to know me and started booking me for weddings and other types of celebrations. I was so happy, I finally found something that I enjoyed and which I could make and income from.”
Despite finding a job, Mupenzi details how he still struggled to access many services. He explains he wanted to learn to drive to transport himself to gigs, get married and start to feel like he belonged somewhere.
The Government of Rwanda has been issuing refugee IDs to refugees since 2007 and reaffirmed their commitment, through a pledge at the Global Refugee Forum in 2019 to issue refugee ID cards to all refugees in Rwanda. The Government through the Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA), the National Identification Agency (NIDA), the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) and UNHCR have since been working closely to ensure that the remaining gap is closed, and all refugees are issued with documentation.
In August 2022, Mupenzi received the call he had been waiting for. His refugee ID card had been produced.
“I was relieved. After all this time, I finally had something that proved who I was, gave me access to the services that I needed. It was liberating,” Mupenzi explains.
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the events industry, he says that over the last few months things have started to return to normal and bookings for weddings are picking up again.
After obtaining his refugee ID, Mupenzi got married and is currently saving up money to take some driving lessons. He is more enthusiastic for the future than ever before and hopes to expand his endeavors on YouTube publishing videos of him singing and performing.
Holding up his identity card with pride, Mupenzi says that he is proud to be living as a refugee in Rwanda. The card which looks exactly the same to that of Rwandan nationals with a refugee identifier mark, has given him a certainty about life which he never expected. “I pray the future will now be better than my past.”