Nirere, Odette
- Born: 1984
- Country: DR Congo
- Family: Husband – Benson Wereje, daughter – Grace, son – Victory, brother, father and mother deceased
- Grade: Primary 6, needs educational assistance to continue to secondary
- Work: Grows fresh food and tomatoes to sell, has responsibility to provide for family while Benson is attending Makerere University
Edited email(s):
My name is Odette Nirere. I am Congolese, from north Congo. I am the last born of my family. My Mother died when I was one year old, my Dad died just one week after my Mother's death. My older brothers and sisters told me our parents died of poisoning. Just before my parent's deaths we had moved to Kikuku in the northern part of the Congo, as new immigrants my parents were disliked by the people living in the area.
After my parents died a family member who I called Grandmother looked after us. My name was changed from Odette Sifa to Odette Nirere. Nirere means "let God look after her."
When I was six years old I was taken to a pastor's home to look after two young boys in a place called Jomba. Jomba is where Benson, my husband, is from.
The war started when I was in Jomba, I was 12 years old at the time. One day rebels attacked the pastor's home when there were many Christians there for morning prayers. Some people ran away, but more than 50 people and I stayed, including the pastor's wife who had a baby on her back. We entered the house for our last prayer. Because we knew what the rebels had done before to people we felt this was the end of our life. The rebels came and ordered everyone to come out of the house or be burned to death when they set fire to the house. Everyone went outside but thinking the rebels might not burn the house down the pastor's wife told me to hide under the bed. The rebels murdered everyone but I survived and told how they were all murdered; some were shot, others were beheaded, others were raped to death. After a loud cry I went outside and found blood everywhere. I lost my senses after seeing the pastor's wife shot to death. I saw the baby on her back had been kicked but she was still alive. I took the baby and went back inside the house. Some rebels heard my cry and looked for me in the house but I was hiding under the bed. The rebel's legs touched my toes but God wanted me and the baby alive. I spent one night in the house near the people who had been killed. The next day the pastor came to see if his wife had been killed, I heard him crying and I went out. We had a very brief burial in one tomb for all the people who had been killed, and then we fled to Uganda for safety.
Once in Uganda the United Nations (UN) took us to the Kyangwali Settlement where I saw Benson. Benson and I were just friends, we were in the same church choir, and were friendly with the pastor. Benson was alone and sometimes received food and clothes from the pastor. I would visit him and help him when he was sick. Because he had no one to help him I planted beans in his garden – this is commonly done by women. So Benson and I became friends.
Benson could not continue with his schooling and started farming. During this period the pastor resettled in Canada with his new wife and children. At this time I lived alone which was difficult for a girl. Even though it was still very dangerous in the Congo I decided the only thing for me to do was go back to the Congo and find out if my Grandmother was still alive and would take me in. I sent a message on Tuesday to Benson that I was going to leave on Sunday. Benson replied that I might die if I went and told me to come to his place on Saturday.
Benson and I decided to get married and so we introduced ourselves to the Camp Authority and the church. We were both very poor but to be married in Benson bought me Congolese clothes that cost 20,000sh (~$12 dollars), for himself he bought a shirt, simple trousers, and someone gave him shoes to use for the day. When we were married we had no wedding, no drinks, no food but we were very happy because we loved each other.
Benson and I now have two children, a daughter named Grace and a son named Victory. Both children were born in Benson's absence while he was at school.
I survive with our two children by selling fresh food and tomatoes that I grow in our garden. By selling what I grow I am usually able to earn about 50,000sh (~$27 dollars) a month, when I am sick I do not earn as much. The worse time is when one of the kids gets malaria and I must use all our money for malaria treatment – then we starve. This last year my son and I were very sick with malaria. My son did not get well and had to go to the hospital, he is now improving. When I was sick I could not get out of bed to work.
I have not had a chance to attend school in a long time. I should be in Primary 6, then I could take primary exams and the next year continue to secondary school. Some times I am discouraged because other women tell me my husband will marry another person who is educated and so I should force him to leave school.
Benson has taught me know how to read and write and now I can send him messages while he is at school telling him about our family. I have been attending an adult evening course in the camp and have passed the first exam and received a certificate, now I can utter some words in English and even write some words! I thank Benson for this...
Benson would like me to attend school so I can specialize in child education, morals, counseling and guidance so that we can join hands to help other orphans who suffer like we have.
Benson has recently passed his school exams and did well enough to get into a university if he can find a way to pay. The universities are a long distance from Kyangwali and I am worried about caring for the family alone. I would like it very much if the family could move to be close to him while he is attends the university.
I would love to be able to communicate to people who always help us, to be able to thank them, or talk to them myself. These include Eric Glustrom, Jeanne Ratzloff, Aimee, Beth Heckel, Maria, and all families connected to these people and other donors. I hear of you from my husband. Our life has been changing due to the above mentioned people.
This is what I can write about my family. I hope that someone can help us achieve our goals through education. (Note: Odette speaks Swahili, she is currently learning English.)
Odette