My

Story

Cecile

“I left Congo with my mother and siblings 21 years ago, when I was only one year old. I don’t remember much about my childhood in Congo, I only hear about it. But in Rwanda, from what I can remember, when we arrived we were taken to a refugee camp. What we soon came to understand is that life in the camp is challenging, it is not what people had expected it to be like. Even though we receive support in the camp, we sometimes experience a lack of food, clothes and education.

I don’t know if I want to go back to Congo. I don’t know anything about the country. Once it is safe enough there, I might go back. But as long as it is not safe, I cannot go back.

I loved playing football as a kid because it helped me get to know so many people and it taught me how to integrate into society. I’ve always played with my fellow girls in our free time.

I now work as a volunteer in the camp and I am part of the children’s recreational activities team. I do various activities with kids, recreational activities, and I inform them about their rights, too. Because of my involvement I was chosen for the Young Coach Education programme. From this education I learned a lot on how I can integrate myself and live with the children, as well as techniques on how to train the kids in football.

Football to me is something that can make your body fit, something that can help you not get old as quickly and something that can increase your lifespan. To me, football is something that can make you be with other people and live in a peaceful way, it helps you to live together without entering any conflict. For the children, I find that those who play football have the right spirit, they listen to other people and respect their parents – most of all, they are neat, clean!”