Skip to main content
Global Focus

Overcoming personal struggles, refugee students in eastern Chad hit the books

Issued on:

Adam Barka University in Abéché, the fourth largest city in Chad, is teeming with students, including a few non-Chadian undergraduates. These are refugees from Darfur, Sudan, and from the Central African Republic, who have been given scholarships by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, with contributions by the German government. RFI's Laura Angela Bagnetto sat down with three students to find out about their lives as refugees, and university students.

Rahman Mohamed Yebet, Darfuri refugee, law student at Adam Barka University, Abéché, Chad
Rahman Mohamed Yebet, Darfuri refugee, law student at Adam Barka University, Abéché, Chad LA Bagnetto
Advertising

Mkader Sihannasou, economics student at Adam Barka University and refugee from Bangui, Central African Republic
Mkader Sihannasou, economics student at Adam Barka University and refugee from Bangui, Central African Republic LA Bagnetto

"My father said, 'you have to study because things are bad in this country, the Central African Republic, you can't stay here. We can't all die together.'" -- MKader Sihannasou, third year university student, studying economics, refugee from Bangui, CAR

Mohamat Usman Ali, Darfuri refugee and president of refugee students association, Adam Barka University, Abéché, Chad
Mohamat Usman Ali, Darfuri refugee and president of refugee students association, Adam Barka University, Abéché, Chad LA Bagnetto

"The most difficult challenge we face is that the communities we are living in are not the same as the communities we were raised in. We don't have family and relatives if we are in need, so because of this there is great difficulty in renting a house...and sometimes the community will not accept you."-- Mohamat Usman Ali, student and president of refugee students association

Rahman Mohamed Yebet, Darfuri refugee, student, taking a break at Adam Barka University
Rahman Mohamed Yebet, Darfuri refugee, student, taking a break at Adam Barka University LA Bagnetto

"My ultimate ambition since I was seven years old is that I want to be a president of Sudan. As people say, 'I have a dream'. Before that, I have to work hard so as to achieve my goal."-- Rahman Mohamed Yebet, law student

 

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.