Raphael Bunani

Raphael_Bunani profile

Raphael_Bunani

My name is Raphael Bunani.  I am 17 years old. I go to school and I am my second year of high school (Senior 2).

Both of my parents are dead.  My father died a little bit after the 1994 genocide and my mother was poisoned when I was 10 years.  Then, my sister raised me but she also died after a few months. Her husband got remarried and his new wife beat me. I left his family and became a street kid.

On the street, I was sleeping one night when there was a police raid. I was a taken from the street and brought to a transition centre where I met FIDESCO staff for the first time. They brought me to FIDESCO Centre and started the process of finding my family, which was in the south. I was rehabilitated and sent to live with my aunt, but she was very poor. She was struggling to find food all the time. The husband of my sister accepted to help me look for food.

Eventually, I was able to go to boarding school in the eastern province, but I am still homeless during the holiday periods when my school closes.  My dream is to become an electrician. I love to study and I like dance because it helps me to relax and feel good. When I dance I feel “cool.” I would like to perform one day on the stage.