Birkenhead College year 12 student Emile Ntahogwisiga has been honoured by Governor-General Anand Satyanand for winning the writing component in the Talk with Me! competition.
Emile and his family moved to New Zealand three years ago. They knew no English and only a little French, he says.
Life here is a stark contrast to the tough conditions in a Tanzanian refugee camp, he says in the deeply personal essay. His family moved there from Burundi.
"Arriving in the refugee camp, I started to experience life.
"I was with my family but was too young to help them, my job was just to eat.
"Do you know how it feels to spend a day without any food? I know.
"I know how your eyes start to change and you no longer can see because of hunger. I know how other kids call you to play with them and you cannot because of the hunger."
Talk with Me! is a national secondary students creative writing and arts competition that aims to improve young New Zealanders’ understanding of the lives of refugees.
"For me, the refugee camp was a lovely place. That is because I was always playing with other kids the same age as me," Emile writes.
He is surprised to have won.
"It’s my life experience. When I read it I feel it."
He is enjoying life and new opportunities in New Zealand with his parents, five siblings and his brother’s family. While in Wellington collecting his prize of $250, and $1000 for Birkenhead College, Emile visited the Royal New Zealand Police College because he hopes to one day become a policeman.
"I’ve many thoughts, many things that I can do, but making a choice is so hard."
He is also loving being part of the Glenfield Rovers’ first division under-17 football team, having grown up playing the game with other children in the refugee camp.
"What I would love in my lifetime is to see countries like New Zealand that have a good heart, keep looking after those who cannot look after themselves," Emile writes.
"As for myself, I am someone living in another world."
Article retreived from Stuff New Zealand
1 comment:
Hi there,
This young man(Emile) reminds many Burundians life in Camp.
Despite the hardships over there, we were friends and soem of us are in beautiful places such New Zealand, US, Europe....
It'z gr8t that Emile has been the first Burundian to be awarded by a General Governor of NZ;It isn't it?
Emile Congratulations!!!
Vugaduhabwe thanks very much for sharing with us .......
Vugaduhabwe
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