Education

BootCamp: The “Step into the Light” Summer Bootcamp for Urban Refugee Youth was a one-day transformative workshop held on August 7, 2025, at the UNHCR Community Centre in Gikondo, Kigali, a space that UNHCR granted us for use throughout the Bootcamp. The bootcamp ran for five hours, bringing together over 60 enthusiastic students from Kigali and surrounding areas. The participants, mostly high school graduates and senior six students, came with one shared goal - to learn, be inspired, and receive the guidance they need to transition successfully from high school to higher education or other meaningful opportunities. The day was organized around two guiding sub-themes: 1. “You Are More Than Your Circumstances” - This theme focused on building self-awareness, confidence, and mindset transformation. Through interactive workshops, students explored their strengths, identified personal values, and learned how to reframe challenges into opportunities. 2. “There Is a Way Forward” – This theme provided practical tools, strategies, and information to help students navigate post-secondary opportunities, including scholarships, vocational programs, and skill-building resources.