A Resettled Refugee’s Journey from a Refugee Camp to Denver

From a young age, Methusella Rwabose, USA for UNHCR’s featured storyteller from the 2023 Storytellers Celebration, grew up surrounded by violence and chaos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His family was frequently targeted by militia groups, forcing them to flee their home in the middle of the night to seek refuge in the woods or neighboring villages.

In 2008, the violence reached a tipping point, and Methusella and his family were forced to flee their home. They sought refuge in Uganda, where they lived in a refugee camp for the next seven years. While they were finally safe, Methusella yearned to go to a school but could only hope his dream would come true one day. 

In 2015, everything changed when his family was chosen for resettlement to the United States. He didn’t waste any time pursuing the education he always dreamt of. “With a lot of hard work, and help from teachers and volunteers … I thrived in school. My English steadily improved, I made the varsity soccer team, joined student government and began doing community service on weekends.”

Methusella thrived as a student at the University of Denver and even discovered new ways to give back to his community. As the first college graduate in his family, Methusella is reflecting on the importance of supporting refugees: “The path I take moving forward is full of choice and it’s because I was able to find a life with safety and a chance to pursue an education. I’m grateful for that. But I’m also mindful that my story should not be extraordinary, and that all refugee families deserve peace, dignity and a future.”