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Eric Ndayisaba: Inspiring the next generation of Congolese entrepreneurs

Eric Ndayisaba is a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and ALU Alumnus.

Akoben: Stories of Impact. Tales of Courage is a series that speaks about the power of education as a tool for transformative change in the world. They are told through the lens of Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni. Here is Eric’s story.

Growing up in the Nord Kivu/Masisi region in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eric’s journey of self-discovery began during the Congo War. He comes from a family of cattle farmers and agriculturists who faced great persecution from their community because they spoke Kinyarwanda, the native language of Rwanda. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are neighbouring countries but have suffered long-standing political tensions, which have caused various challenges in their respective communities and societies.

Eric’s family cattle and farms were regularly encroached upon, affecting their source of income. Eric also went a year without education because his parents could not afford school fees, and the family’s sense of security was more and more under threat. Eric’s family eventually decided to flee to Rwanda.

They did not have much to eat, but they had peace. Eric’s family received help through World Vision, which enabled him to continue his education. He enrolled in a boarding school where he studied English, French, and art. Eric’s family, however, struggled to find work because of their refugee status in Rwanda.

Eric soon learned about the African Leadership University (ALU)-Rwanda through a friend. The application process was competitive and although he worked diligently on the application essay and worked late nights on the application, he was unsuccessful on three attempts.

“I contacted Fred Swaniker, the Founder of African Leadership University, for support and told him I’d applied many times. He replied to me and said he was happy he’d heard from me but wasn’t involved in admissions,” said Eric.

Fred’s response sparked a fire in Eric, and he reapplied with a new passion, and this time, he was successful.

Eric believes ALU-Rwanda has been a life-changing opportunity and is actively giving back to his community. Eric has lived in Rwanda for over 12 years but still considers the Democratic Republic of Congo his home; however, returning poses a risk. Eric and his brothers and sisters have made plans to support Congolese refugees in Rwanda every semester, with a regular contribution of 5,000 Rwandan Francs. These funds go towards sewing machines, laptops and other accessories.

Eric now sees a bright future ahead and credits this to the support he and other Mastercard Foundation Scholars have received through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at ALU-Rwanda. With his community at ALU-Rwanda, Eric is actively learning and working to become a better version of himself.

“We assure you that we will give back to our community, bring change and be the light of our generation,” says Eric.

 

Read more stories from the Akoben series

 

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