From Congo to Charlotte:
An improbable journey to graduation
From Congo to Charlotte:
An improbable journey to graduationBy Jason Vaughan
UNC Charlotte graduate Celestin Gasirabo ’22 overcame insurmountable obstacles to achieve a computer engineering degree.
Celestin Gasirabo ’22 lived most of his life with no place to call home. Without the luxury of having his own bedroom, house, street or even country, Gasirabo refused to succumb to the adverse landscape that defined his childhood. Armed with little more than determination, strength and the clothes on his back, Gasirabo transformed the life of a five-year-old African refugee into a UNC Charlotte graduate.
In 1994, Gasirabo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At age 5, he along with his family endured a dangerous journey to Rwanda in an effort to escape an ongoing war that claimed millions of lives. When the family arrived at a refugee camp, they did so without Celestin’s father, who had been killed by enemy soldiers during the family’s escape.
By Jason Vaughan
UNC Charlotte graduate Celestin Gasirabo ’22 overcame insurmountable obstacles to achieve a computer engineering degree.
Celestin Gasirabo ’22 lived most of his life with no place to call home. Without the luxury of having his own bedroom, house, street or even country, Gasirabo refused to succumb to the adverse landscape that defined his childhood. Armed with little more than determination, strength and the clothes on his back, Gasirabo transformed the life of a five-year-old African refugee into a UNC Charlotte graduate.
In 1994, Gasirabo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At age 5, he along with his family endured a dangerous journey to Rwanda in an effort to escape an ongoing war that claimed millions of lives. When the family arrived at a refugee camp, they did so without Celestin’s father, who had been killed by enemy soldiers during the family’s escape.
Life in the refugee camp was rough. Living in a crowded shelter with very little food and clothing, Gasirabo’s family had to stick together. As a refugee, his mother could not legally work in Rwanda and struggled to support her five boys. Celestin and his brothers were afforded only a minimal education. Refugee families needed to pay for high school, a luxury most could not afford.
“Because there is not much funding for schools, students had only kindergarten to ninth grade,” Gasirabo said. “Between 90% and 95% of kids in a refugee camp don’t continue with school because of a lack of funding.”
While in middle school, Gasirabo started asking around the refugee camp about the process of permanently escaping their surroundings. The process was long and tedious, but after five years, his family was approved for relocation.
When it was time to move, they had to go quickly. With no time to gather their belongings or offer long goodbyes, they were quickly shuttled to the airport.
“For your protection, they don’t tell you where you’re going. There are a lot of people who have been killed,” Gasirabo stated. “People would come by and kill the whole family just to make them lose their opportunities.”
Upon landing at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, the family was told where they were headed, Charlotte, North Carolina.
With the help of charitable organizations, the Gasirabo family started acclimating to life in the United States. Experiencing a new culture, language and life with technology inspired Gasirabo to complete his high school education through a GED program.
Life in the refugee camp was rough. Living in a crowded shelter with very little food and clothing, Gasirabo’s family had to stick together. As a refugee, his mother could not legally work in Rwanda and struggled to support her five boys. Celestin and his brothers were afforded only a minimal education. Refugee families needed to pay for high school, a luxury most could not afford.
“Because there is not much funding for schools, students had only kindergarten to ninth grade,” Gasirabo said. “Between 90% and 95% of kids in a refugee camp don’t continue with school because of a lack of funding.”
While in middle school, Gasirabo started asking around the refugee camp about the process of permanently escaping their surroundings. The process was long and tedious, but after five years, his family was approved for relocation.
When it was time to move, they had to go quickly. With no time to gather their belongings or offer long goodbyes, they were quickly shuttled to the airport.
“For your protection, they don’t tell you where you’re going. There are a lot of people who have been killed,” Gasirabo stated. “People would come by and kill the whole family just to make them lose their opportunities.”
Upon landing at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, the family was told where they were headed, Charlotte, North Carolina.
With the help of charitable organizations, the Gasirabo family started acclimating to life in the United States. Experiencing a new culture, language and life with technology inspired Gasirabo complete his high school education through a GED program.
A fascination with technology and a desire to continue learning prompted Gasirabo to enroll in a local community college. After two years, he decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and enrolled at UNC Charlotte in 2020.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who helped me through this journey,” Gasirabo said. “The University, my professors, mentors and parents. It has been a very tough process. I am very thankful for those who are there for me.”
His humble beginnings as a little boy in a refugee camp fueled Gasirabo’s thirst for an education that is allowing him to control his future. Now at 28, with a bachelor’s degree in hand, Gasirabo is eyeing the future – he plans to pursue a master’s degree — while remembering his past. He hopes his story will inspire others to pursue their dreams.
“If you trace back my entire life, I have lived with help from people who I sometimes didn’t even know. Living in a refugee camp for about 15 years, the community I came from, I want to inspire them,” said Gasirabo. “The kids who don’t want to go back to school, I want to show them that there is much more opportunity out there.”
Jason Vaughan is the media relations manager for University Communications.
