In their own words – Interview with Karangwa Theogene

Next week Trent University students will be voting on a proposed levy increase for the Student Refugee Program. If there are sufficient votes, the local committee will be able to sponsor two refugee students at Trent in future years. Here, in his own words, are the thoughts of a current SRP student on the program and the levy campaign.

When Karangwa Theogene found out he had been selected for the Student Refugee Program, he was excited, but also nervous. Living in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, he had graduated from high school nearly a decade earlier, and was unsure about attending university in Canada.

“I didn’t have much confidence,” he said. After spending a year working in Lindsay, Karangwa enrolled in the accounting program at Fleming College in Peterborough. After completing his studies at Fleming last year, Karangwa transferred to Trent University to complete his undergraduate degree in Business. Karangwa was kind enough to discuss his experience in Canada and his thoughts about Trent sponsoring two refugee students in the future.

Q: What do you think of your experience at Trent so far?
K: It has been very positive overall. I’ve made quite a few friends, it’s a small university and the classes are different from Fleming but I can manage it.

Q: On the social side of things, how did you find it when you first started at Fleming?
K: There is no WUSC committee at Fleming, but I’m an easygoing guy so I didn’t have a hard time meeting people. Everything was new to me, so I had to ask about everything but people were very friendly, very helpful. I was able to get a job at the college in my second semester, so that was very good too.

Q: Now that you are at Trent, are you close to the other sponsored students?
K: They were the first people I was able to connect with when I came to Trent. We speak the same language so we know each other and spend time together.

Q: What would it mean to you if Trent was able to sponsor two students every year?
K: To me, that would be great. I remember that before I was sponsored, I had no hope for my life. After high school in Kakuma, there is nothing else you can do. Having someone saying that you have a chance… that is incredible, amazing. For me it was like being born again. (Future students) would have somewhere they could start to call home, no longer have fear of deportation, jail or harm. You’re free, and for me that was restoring my dignity as a human being.

Q: Do you feel like you are at home now in Canada?
K: In September it will be five years that I am living in Canada. I am more comfortable now, with food, now I can eat anything and I know what I like. The winter was also a big problem for me at first. Now it is fine. I’m feeling maybe I am becoming Canadian.

Q: What goals do you have for the future?
K: When I am done at Trent I will go on to do my CA (Chartered Accountant certification). I must. Then, wherever I get a job in Canada, anywhere, that will be my home… I have two brothers still at Kakuma, I am hoping to sponsor them to come to Canada one day, but it is very, very hard.

Look for more interviews with refugee students in the days to come, and don’t forget: VOTE YES in the referendum next week!