Song written by Lewis Bucumi
“Refugees”
I have something in my heart that I am missing.
My friend, are you all right?
Are you still fine?
Although I am a refugee,
it is not I who decided to be one.
Now I sleep in a tent,
yet once I had a beautiful house.
Please God, help Burundians find peace in their land.
Let your holy spirit come and judge people who do the killings.
I am not a street boy, as we Burundians say.
I did not come here because of hunger, as the leaders say.
I left behind plantations ripe for harvest.
I left maize ready but now eaten by bugs.
I abandoned cattle and sheep on the farm.
I left milk in the milk pots.
I left potato and cassava, now consumed by insects.
I left all at home.
I came with nothing.
Now I feed on maize, oil, beans.
At home I ate whatever I wanted.
I am here not because I wanted to come here. No!
I wanted to save my life!
I left the girl I love crying alone on the hills.
I thank Rwanda for welcoming us.
I thought I would never return to school and write.
I thank UNHCR and ADRA for the help they give.
You built a school so we can study as we once did.
We study math, English, French.
Parents, come together! Put our children in school.
In a refugee camp, nothing can be higher priority
than educating our children.
May God bless you.
Page 13 of 15
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Assessment of Peaceful Coexistence in Mahama Refugee Camp, Rwanda
17 Jul 2018The German International Cooperation (GIZ) and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have released a report presenting the findings of an assessment regarding peaceful coexistence in and around the Mahama refugee camp in Rwanda conducted in 2017.
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“I was encouraged to go for my dreams and learnt a lot.”
13 Jul 2018Refugee models participate in the Kigali Fashion Week
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Standing with refugees to celebrate the World Refugee Day
20 Jun 2018A time for solidarity with refugees and their host communities.
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UNHCR and partners requesting US$74.3 million for Burundian refugees in Rwanda
21 Feb 2018UNHCR estimates a total of 102,000 Burundian refugees in Rwanda at the end of 2018, while the current figure is at nearly 90,000.
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UNHCR appeals for US$391 million for ‘forgotten’ Burundi refugees
14 Feb 2018Low levels of funding mean support efforts in neighbouring countries fall short of acceptable standards.
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Refugee Children speak about their lives through photos
12 Feb 2018The photographs taken by the participants in Gihembe, Kigeme, Kiziba and Nyabiheke have offered UNHCR the opportunity to learn more about the daily lives and the opinions of the refugee teenagers, and to discuss gender perceptions among the adolescents in the camps.
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The Government of Rwanda and the UN Refugee Agency launch a joint verification exercise of refugees and asylum seekers residing in Rwanda
9 Feb 2018This will facilitate refugees’ ability to access Government services, employability and to move more freely in the country and abroad.
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MIDIMAR, MIGEPROF, UNHCR and UNWOMEN Launch Inter-Agency Gender Action Plan for Refugees in Rwanda at Kigali Convention Center “Yes, I can!”
9 Feb 2018The aim of the event included presenting proposed actions across all sectors and a range of actors, but also to catalyse key institutions in gender equality in Rwanda to contribute ideas on how they can include refugees in their on-going activities in Rwanda.
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A bright future for refugees who graduate with an American University Degree through Kepler
26 Jan 2018Kepler serves over 500 students on its two campuses in Rwanda, 110 of whom are refugee learners.
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Food Rations For Refugees In Rwanda Are Reduced Amidst Funding Shortfalls
16 Jan 2018WFP and UNHCR appeal today to donors to contribute funds so that a 25 percent reduction from January onwards in food or cash assistance for more than 100,000 refugees in Rwanda can be reversed as soon as possible.