21/08/2025
🎓🌍📚 ✨ From Refugee Camps to 8 Years Double Degrees. 1 biggest Dream Come True Today, A Dream Fulfilled – Proof That Dreams Have No Borders. Suis vraiment fier d’être l’enfant de l’Essence MJV. Double Diplôme, 8 ans de Licence et Maîtrise.
Jeremiah 29:11🎓✨🌍📚
Today, my pride comes from embracing my identity and my roots as an ambitious young refugee, rather than focusing on what I have accomplished or the person I have become. Today, I hold in my hands two degrees, a Bachelor of Human Services and a Master of Social Work from La Trobe University. What I truly hold is a testimony of faith, hope, and unwavering trust in God’s promises. A journey marked by miracles, resilience, self-determination, ambitions, courage, and unity. It is a story that reflects the strength of refusing to give up in most difficult situations, the triumph of hope over fear, and the unstoppable power of passion joined with my perseverance.
💪🏾💡I was once a boy living in refugee camps, spending nights in long queues outside UNHCR’s offices, waiting for the next day’s appointment as the rain poured all night, moving from one camp to another, with no school, no books, and no certainty of tomorrow. My classroom was the dusty ground. My desk was my lap. My hope for education was no more than a distant dream whispered in the dark.
🌟But I held onto that dream.💡Eight years of university study later, filled with challenges, the weight of family’s responsibilities here and back home, sacrifices, and moments of doubt and tears of sadness, especially those nights when rushing to submit an assignment after returning from work,all while balancing other family’s commitments and husband’s duties. I have turned that dream into reality today.
This is not just my success. This is our success and a family collective achievement.
🙏 First, I thank God Almighty who has always been the source of my strength, patience, confidence, and courage. Through every tear, every setback, and every long night, His grace has carried me.
💖 To my Perle Rare and beautiful wife Sifa Consolate Declo and our gorgeous children, your love has been my anchor. You endured my long hours, my stress, and my absence as a father and husband, yet you kept believing in and always motivating me. These degrees are as much yours as they are mine.
🕯️🌹 To both my late biological mother and late Aussie mother, you both planted the seed of education in my heart long before it could grow. I dedicate this to you, Mama, knowing you are watching from heaven and smiling with pride.🙏🏾🙌🏾❤️💐🌟
🤝 To my Papa Matenga and Maman Sikujua, you gave us the gift of a new life in Australia. You sacrificed your own comfort to open doors for us. This is your achievement too and thank you for standing with us since day one.🙏🏾🙌🏾❤️
❤️A special THANKS to: my precious Consolate Lwanga, Late mama Marita Taverner, Papa Flavio Lubadi, young brother Bahati Patrick Bisimwa and sister in law Gracia Muika, big brothers Ndindry, Buyo, John Maombi Bonane and Mama/dada Nsimire, Christian and Sarah Bashimbe, Wapson and Martine, sister Mugoli Ciroy and beauf Bienvenue Muzaliwa, Christian and Rachel Bisimwa, Masomo Mbele Africa and Australia Board members, Mzee Matenga, Papa Jean-Marie and Maelie, our Shepparton Community, and all friends and relatives.🙏🏾🙌🏾❤️ To all family here in Australia and back home in Africa not mentioned, my all friends, colleagues, mentors, teachers from Notre Dame College Shepparton, you guys have really been an inspiration and incredible support and source of blessings in this journey.
🧠To La Trobe University Shepparton Campus and all my Lecturers and Tutors 🎓 and GOTAFE’s teachers, I am grateful for the chance and opportunity to learn, grow, excel, and flourish both personally and professionally. I hope you all know how much gratitude is packed inside my heart and THANK YOU SO MUCH!🙏🏾🙌🏾💪🏾🎓
🤝 To Beyond Housing and IMHA (Independent Mental Health Advocacy)/Victoria Legal Aid and their employees and amazing Field Educators that welcomed me with open arms to complete my 1,000 hours of field placement and provided me with practical experience in real-world Social Work settings. To my employer and work colleagues at The Orange Door Goulburn/Primary Care Connect-PCC "THANK Y’ALL" for your incredible support and encouragement. You have left fingerprints on my heart and success. I will never forget your kindness. 🙏🏾🙏🏾 🫶🏽
❤️And to every refugee child, youth and parent still in camps today, do not give up. If a boy who had no school could one day graduate with two university degrees, you can too. It takes courage, daily prayers, determination, perseverance, resilience, curiosity, patience, endurance, respect for all, and faith in yourself and in God. Miracles happen when you dare to ask God, dream big and work hard.💪🏾🫶🏽
📚These degrees are more than academic achievements, they are a torch of hope I now carry for my Australian and African community, a promise to use my knowledge to serve others, and a living testimony that your starting point does not determine your destination.💡
💡To my children, and to every child reading this, let this be proof: It’s possible. Your story is still being written. With a clear purpose in life, a commitment to treating others with respect and dignity, doing what is right, and dedicating yourself fully, anything can be achieved.👂✍🏾
Here’s to the dreamers, the fighters, and the believers, keep going, your time will come and most importantly, never give up. The best is yet to come really!🤞🏾💪🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾❤️ ✨ 🎓
🤷🏾♂️✍🏾🎓💪🏾📚
