Christian, Amala alumnus and Rise Global Winner, shares his mission of bringing change to Kakuma Refugee Camp

“Amala changed my life from the first day.”

During our interview with Christian Maboko, we found a passionate individual dedicated to creating change in his community through empowerment and education, of women and young people in particular. Originally from Burundi, Christian moved to Kakuma Refugee Camp to escape the political unrest of his home country, and now works towards creating a better future for refugees everywhere. He graduated from Amala in 2021, the same year in which he co-founded the charity initiative, Project 21KE, and was chosen as one the 100 Rise Global Winners for his development of a course that promotes awareness of the importance of education for women.

Amala: a transformational learning experience

“Most young people have this mindset that we cannot do anything unless we have tangible resources, so we forget that hidden potential that we have… the most important impact that Amala is making back in the camp is changing that mindset.”

Through the Amala High School Diploma Programme, Christian came to understand education not only as an academic force, but also one that “can give you the tools to reduce suffering wherever is necessary,” as well as help you turn around your personal life. He shares that although he believes traditional education is also important, being taught critical thinking, and decision-making, especially as it relates to promoting change within one’s community, as it’s done in Amala, is a powerful gift.

“When I joined Amala I realised that the experience was very different because I was used to going to school to cram, not to think.”

Christian also emphasises the beauty of the diversity within Amala, and discusses the importance of working with people from different backgrounds and genders in promoting change for the common good, and in dissolving potential cultural biases. “For example, before Amala I had a certain mindset about women, about how we men should relate and perceive women, thinking that women can’t do this, can’t do that… but being in a mixed course at Amala where both genders came together to discuss the same critical issues made me realise how untrue that is.”

The Amala Personal Interest Project

When it came to developing his Personal Interest Project, an extended engagement in an area of personal interest which forms part of the Amala High School Diploma Programme, Christian saw it as an opportunity to learn about, and later create awareness of, the issue in the community. He began interviewing people in order to identify and understand the major problems faced in Kakuma, finding that it was girls and single mothers who suffered the most. 

As he continued interviewing and surveying young girls about their experiences, he found that 60% of girls under the age of eighteen in the camp are orphans, and that left them in position where education was not considered as a priority, and they were often forced into relationships and then abandoned to care for their children on their own. It was then that he decided to make the focus of his project girls’ education. 

“Navigating life in a refugee camp is much more difficult for girls… so I wanted to create something that can empower them and give them hope, while spreading awareness of how important it is to educate women. They are the backbone of this society… there is no point in only some people in a community being educated… we need everyone to come together.”

Being raised by a single mother, and having seen her difficulties first hand, mounted his frustration at the issue; as did the staggering amount of girls he had seen marry young and drop out from his classes. 

“I don’t want to see my younger sisters dropping out.”

Despite financial strain, and with the help of various people, Christian organised lessons about sexual health education, the struggles of becoming a young mother, and the importance of girls receiving an education for the community. He wanted to find a way and space to show women that despite everything they’d been up against, they could still persist.

He tells us he was excited to see the impact they had, as some of the young mothers who’d dropped out decided they’d return to school if they could leave their children in the care of their family. They were also happy to support each other, such as if one needed help with her schoolwork.

In 2021, Christian was selected as one of the 100 Rise Global Winners for his work in promoting girls’ education in his community. Rise is a global talent programme which identifies young people from around the world who have the potential to use their talents to tackle the world's most pressing issues. Up to 100 finalists are chosen as Rise Global Winners, a competitive process. Christian was chosen as a winner and decided to combine his Rise projects and Amala personal interest project to create even more powerful outcomes.

“Although I had started my Rise education before Amala, it was Amala that taught me planning and how to execute a project… also without Amala I don’t think I could’ve managed to do my Rise project, because it was Amala that gave me the access to the network and technology I needed to complete it.”

A philanthropist from the beginning

Christian’s work in advocating for girls and women’s education has only been a step in his journey of serving his community. In secondary school, seeing many of his peers struggle with mental health and challenging life situations, Christian had the idea to do motivational speaking. He began recording himself, and posting the videos on social media to encourage young people and give them hope.

“Spending life in a refugee camp for more than ten years, as a young person you start to lose yourself because of the complexity of the situation. At some point you have to listen to your inner voice and find what you want for yourself...”

Around the same time, Christian was approached by one of his friends with the idea to start an initiative to combat the malnutrition and hunger faced, particularly by children, in Kakuma. In 2018, they began Vijana Twaweza, a club that began and managed various projects involving permaculture (agriculture without fertiliser), fish farming and raising poultry with the aim to increase food availability. The club has now gained support from a youth organisation in the camp and continues such works, alongside teaching students about agriculture, believing that it cannot solve hunger alone and in the impact that spreading knowledge can have.

Another way he has helped raise awareness is by taking part in the making of two short films, one focusing on youths living with disabilities, and the other addressing the adverse effects that prioritising marriage over education for women can have, both on them as individuals, and on the community as a whole. 

 “Because of the communication skills I learned at Amala I started talking to people, creating international links and networks that I was then able to use to raise funds for bettering the community.”

For Christian, graduating from Amala did not mean the end of giving back, and despite his passion for promoting sexual health education among women, he realised that he lacked the knowledge and (as a man) the relatability to do so properly. So once he finished the Amala programme, he partnered with a friend to create a new initiative: Project 21KE, which aims to alleviate the poverty crisis in Kakuma through various charitable activities aimed at the most vulnerable groups in the camp, namely young people and women.

“We just had that energy to give back to the community. we felt that we were educated enough, that we have enough knowledge to solve community problems, so that’s what we did.”

“I see myself as a vessel of change”

Currently, Christian attends UWC Dilijan, a United World College in Armenia. He is interested in studying for a degree in international relations, with a focus on economics and refugee migration, as those are the things that have affected him, and it is important for him to help those who are currently facing such challenges.

On the side, he continues to help manage Project 21KE, as well as be an active member of the Amala community, mentoring students back at the camp and encouraging other young people to join the programme. Although he has many ideas for future philanthropic endeavours for the refugee community, for now he plans to focus on continuing what he is doing, and helping as many people as possible.

“The message I can tell other young people is that we don’t choose our parents, we don’t choose where we land. I didn’t choose to be in a refugee camp, I didn’t choose to have the parent that I have now, but I have the right and the ability to choose what I want to be, what I want to do, and what I want to impact in my community. and that’s what Amala taught me and gave me: the opportunity to choose what you want to impact in your community.”

You can follow Christian on Linkedin here.