When My Door Opened, I Started Holding It Open for Others

Ebuela Bushiri Isaac was born in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania. His parents had fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo before he was born. The camp was therefore not somewhere Ebuela had temporarily arrived. It was the only home he remembered. He went through primary and secondary education there. Like many young refugees, he eventually reached the point where the next step became much more difficult. University. Higher education required money. There were restrictions around movement. Opportunities were limited. For a while, Ebuela's own dream of continuing his education seemed unreachable. But while trying to find a way forward for himself, he began working with other young people in the refugee community. He volunteered as a social worker. He helped young people. He learned about scholarship opportunities. He applied. And he kept applying. Eventually, he received a DAFI scholarship to study for a bachelor's degree at the University of Iringa. The opportunity changed his life. But Ebuela noticed something. He now understood a process that many other young refugees did not. He knew where to look. He understood eligibility requirements. He understood applications. He knew what a personal statement needed to do. He could have simply continued with his own studies. Instead, he started helping other young refugees apply too. In 2023, he founded the Global Scholar Network. Its purpose was straightforward: help refugee students find scholarships, understand applications and receive mentorship. The opportunity that had once seemed impossible for him became something he could help somebody else reach. That is one of the quietest forms of encouragement. Not standing outside someone's struggle saying, "You can do it." But walking back into a difficult place you already escaped and saying: I know the way. Come with me. What have you learned the hard way that could make somebody else's journey easier? This is an editorial retelling of a documented account. Original storyteller: Ebuela Bushiri Isaac. Country: Tanzania / Democratic Republic of Congo. Source: UNHCR Africa, 12 August 2025.