Refugee educator and advocate Elvis Uwimana traces a clear path from improvised study circles in Mahama Refugee Camp to co-founding Light4Refugee and pursuing a Master’s in Human Rights & Humanitarian Action at Sciences Po. Hosted by Ishimwe Prince on Resilient Voices of Refugees, Elvis shows how learning moves beyond survival—becoming dignity, leadership, and a practical route to opportunity. His north star is simple and unforgettable: “It’s better for someone to give you the net to catch fish but not the fishes—you must own the journey.”

In Mahama, where books, devices, and data were scarce, Elvis organized small, consistent study groups, shared notes, and mentored younger learners. That rhythm of showing up for others shaped his conviction that learning is a pathway to dignity. After graduating from the African Leadership University (ALU), he transformed experience into action through Light4Refugee, a youth-led initiative that opens doors to education, career pathways, technology, financial literacy, leadership development, and creative platforms. Each pillar targets a real barrier refugee youth face—closing device and data gaps, clarifying routes to scholarships and jobs, and creating spaces where young people can be seen and heard.

Elvis strengthened his policy and research lens via the Oxford Refugee Studies Centre online course for displaced learners and a Graduate Attachment with the Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH). Evidence, he notes, helps build partnerships and keeps programs accountable to outcomes. He recently concluded his term as Network Lead with Theirworld’s Climate & Education Task Team, connecting early childhood education with climate resilience—essential for communities already living through climate shocks. Integrating climate literacy into learning, he argues, prepares children, families, and schools for tomorrow.

The playbook he offers is practical and repeatable: start small today, even with two people and a notebook; reduce friction by sharing materials, coordinating review schedules, and pooling data bundles and devices; pair schoolwork with employable skills like basic digital literacy, financial literacy, and leadership practice; track simple indicators such as attendance, pass rates, scholarship applications, and internships; and build a coalition of teachers, community leaders, alumni, and NGOs so pilots can grow into pipelines. Above all, organize, ask, and measure—organize a study circle, ask for mentorship and feedback, and measure progress so you can prove what works.

Refugee-led initiatives like Light4Refugee do more than fill gaps—they change the center of gravity. When those closest to the problem design the solution, programs become practical, culturally grounded, and cost-aware. Elvis’s story is a blueprint for dignity through learning, leadership through service, and systems change through community. If this episode moved you, watch or listen, leave a message for Elvis, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and support Refugee Youth Changemakers (RYCM) so more youth can learn, tell stories, and lead.

Guest bio (short): Elvis Uwimana is a refugee educator and advocate, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Light4Refugee, an ALU graduate, and a Master’s candidate at Sciences Po. He has contributed to research with the Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) and completed the Oxford RSC online course for displaced learners. He recently served as Network Lead with Theirworld’s Climate & Education Task Team.