2006.11.20: November 20, 2006: Headlines: COS - Burundi: Local Groups: The Buffalo News: Peace Corps veterans in Buffalo share memories with Burundi Refugee
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2006.11.20: November 20, 2006: Headlines: COS - Burundi: Local Groups: The Buffalo News: Peace Corps veterans in Buffalo share memories with Burundi Refugee
Peace Corps veterans in Buffalo share memories with Burundi Refugee
On Sunday evening, Ndayisaba, 29, who has been in Buffalo for barely three months, shared a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with 40 other recently arrived refugees -- along with 60 former Peace Corps volunteers -- at the International Institute. He was sitting with Pamela Kefi, executive director of the International Institute (and a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1989 to 1990) and Laura M. Smith, a Cheektowaga data manager who served in Niger from 1999 to 2001. "I have been dreaming to become a mechanical engineer," Ndayisaba told them. "I like making things. When I look around I see the wonders of engineers -- bridges and buildings."
Peace Corps veterans in Buffalo share memories with Burundi Refugee
Burundi refugee, Peace Corps veterans share memories
Nov 20, 2006
The Buffalo News, N.Y.
Nov. 20--Richard Ndayisaba is from Burundi, a tiny country in east central Africa that has been called one of the unhappiest places in the world.
On Sunday evening, Ndayisaba, 29, who has been in Buffalo for barely three months, shared a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with 40 other recently arrived refugees -- along with 60 former Peace Corps volunteers -- at the International Institute.
"I left because of the civil war in Burundi," said Ndayisaba, who then lived in a refugee camp in Namibia for six years before finding his way to America. "It's a tribal civil war. I was just an innocent victim."
Does he miss home?
"Not much," he said. "I miss my people."
Ndayisaba is one of 10 children, who are now scattered all over the African continent. He has an apartment nearby and comes to the International Institute daily to sharpen the English that he learned in Africa.
He was sitting with Pamela Kefi, executive director of the International Institute (and a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1989 to 1990) and Laura M. Smith, a Cheektowaga data manager who served in Niger from 1999 to 2001.
"I have been dreaming to become a mechanical engineer," Ndayisaba told them. "I like making things. When I look around I see the wonders of engineers -- bridges and buildings." With that, he marveled at the ornate ceiling of the pre-1900s mansion that is the home of the International Institute.
"You know," Kefi told him, "this was originally a home for just one family."
"It must have been a huge family," he said.
"No," she said, "a very rich family."
Smith said talking with a refugee from Burundi brought back memories of her Peace Corps service in Niger, in west central Africa.
"We were welcomed by the people of those countries," she said. "People had nothing, but they gave everything. So it's wonderful for us to be able to welcome recently arrived refugees to our country. Especially at Thanksgiving time."
Just then, somebody informed John Rex that Ndayisaba had been living in Namibia around the time Rex was serving there in the Peace Corps.
"We have to talk," said Rex, chairman of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Western New York. Rex, 66, served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1964 and in Namibia from 2003 to 2004. His organization has 25 active members and is looking for more local Peace Corps veterans. His e-mail address is johnrex3@yahoo.com.
e-mail:acardinale@buffnews.com
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Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Burundi; Directory of Burundi RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Burundi RPCVs; Local Groups; New York
When this story was posted in January 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: The Buffalo News
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Burundi; Local Groups
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