Nteziyaremye, Joseph
- Born: 1988
- Country: DR Congo
- Family: mother, father, and one brother deceased, cares for brother (Mukiza Dusenge) and sister (Mahirwe Grace). Other siblings last seen in DRC – status unknown
- Grade: ?, needs educational assistance – has emailed PeopleWeaver several times asking if a school donor has been found for him
Edited email(s):
My name is Joseph Nteziyaremye. I am a 17 year old Congolese. I am a resident of the Kyangwali refugee settlement.
My history has not been good since I fled from the Congo in 1997. It is not always very easy to talk about how I lost both parents and became head of the rest of the family. I recall many things (about child parenting). I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. My father was caught by rebels at night when we were sleeping and was slaughtered like an animal. As my mother pleaded for forgiveness, she was tortured by cutting her womb. We were in the other room hearing how they were crying. When the army came to rescue the civilians, very many people were found dead in the village, including my father and my mom. After cutting our mother's womb, the next day we found that they pierced her with a tree throughout her body and she died (she was pregnant).
I fled with my young brothers and sisters and passed the night in the forest. The next day we were escorted by government soldiers to our home where we found only blood in the house. As young as we were, we ran away into the forest. Some of us were separated and one brother was killed. After a week in the forest a brother and sister, and myself crossed into Uganda. Here we were considered refugees and were taken to the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement.
Because my parents died my brothers, sisters, and I have no one to care for us. At the beginning in Kyangwali we had a fair life because we could get food from the United Nations (UN). I started primary school in Uganda with my brother and sister and I managed to complete it. My younger brother was also in primary and my sister worked at home so that we had something to eat after school.
I caught a disease and could not continue my schooling. Anything I now get is from farming. I have attended only the third term because for the first 6 months of the year I dug (farmed). During this time COBURWAS provided my books.
Many people in the village advise me to marry because they can't imagine I will be able to continue my schooling. My wife and I could look after the young ones (my brother and sister). But this is another burden. I do not own anything and do not have hope for myself or my brother and sister. Even if the war stopped in the Congo, there is still nothing I can achieve without an education.
The UN stopped all of their help but I still have a dream of education. The Coburwas leaders keep informing us that only education is the key and way to success, but school is not easy to join. So, Benson (Wereje) told me to provide a short background about myself and I pray that I also can be blessed with someone to help me to go to school. With an education I can help my brothers and sisters, become productive, and later we can restart our family.
I will be happy to hear from you.
Joseph