Life can change in a single day.

For me, that day was 9 September 2016.

My name is Felix, a refugee from Burundi and a proud member of the Opportunity International family. My journey is one of loss, resilience, and hope - a journey that has shown me that when people are given opportunity instead of pity, they can rebuild not only their own lives but also the lives of many others.

On 8 September 2016, my wife gave birth to our second child. What should have been one of the happiest moments of our lives quickly turned into one of the most painful. Less than twenty-four hours later, after surviving what I believed was a politically motivated assassination attempt, I fled Burundi with my wife, our newborn baby, and our firstborn child.

Leaving my country meant leaving behind everything I had worked for. I lost my profession, my job, my property, my plans for the future, and the life I had spent years building. I was an Electromechanical Technician and had served for 12 years at Burundi's national electricity distribution company. Overnight, I went from being a professional with a promising career to becoming a refugee with nothing but my family and the hope of staying alive.

Our journey took us through Rwanda before we eventually found safety in Uganda where we were provided with protection and the support needed to begin a new chapter.

 
The road to Nakivale Refugee Settlement (Photo by Helen Manson)

Starting over was incredibly difficult.

Like many refugees, I had no job, no income, no assets, and no clear picture of what the future would hold. Every day was a struggle to provide for my family while learning to adapt to a completely new environment. Beyond meeting our basic needs, it was difficult to imagine that I would ever rebuild a meaningful professional life.

Perhaps the greatest challenge was changing my mindset.

I had to accept that my previous life was gone. I could either remain focused on everything I had lost or embrace the difficult journey of building something new. Although that transition was painful, I chose hope over despair. I decided to learn about my new community, understand life in the refugee settlement, and look for every opportunity to support my family while contributing positively to the community around me.

Because I speak several languages, I found opportunities to work as an enumerator and translator for humanitarian organisations operating in the settlement. These temporary assignments helped me provide for my family while exposing me to humanitarian and development work. More importantly, they helped me understand the challenges facing refugees and host communities and awakened a passion to become part of the solution.

My life took a significant turn in 2019 when I joined Opportunity International as a Financial Inclusion Officer under the Refugee Financial Inclusion Program.

Opportunity International did not see refugees merely as people in need of assistance. Instead, the organisation recognised our abilities, invested in our potential, and empowered us to become agents of change within our own communities.

Felix delivering training to a savings group in Uganda. 

Joining Opportunity International transformed my life in ways I could never have imagined.

The organisation gave me much more than employment. It restored my confidence, renewed my dignity, and gave me a new sense of purpose. Although my professional journey shifted from electromechanics to financial inclusion and community development, I discovered that my greatest contribution was no longer maintaining electrical systems - it was helping build resilient communities and creating opportunities for others to thrive.

Through dedication, continuous learning, and the trust placed in me by the organization, I later progressed to the position of Project Officer. This growth has been one of the greatest testimonies of Opportunity International's commitment to investing not only in communities but also in the people who serve them.

Over the past seven years, I have had the privilege of supporting thousands of refugees and host community members to access formal financial services, strengthen their financial literacy, open savings accounts, connect with financial institutions, receive business development support, and access credit to grow their enterprises. I have witnessed remarkable transformations in people's lives.

One of the greatest joys of my work has been seeing families who once depended almost entirely on humanitarian assistance become successful entrepreneurs, regular savers, employers, and providers for their households. Watching people regain confidence, invest in their businesses, educate their children, and plan for their future reminds me every day why this work matters.

Felix delivering training to a savings group in Uganda. 

Throughout this journey, I have learned that financial inclusion is about much more than banking. It is about restoring dignity. It is about giving people the opportunity to make their own decisions, build sustainable livelihoods, and regain their independence after displacement.

As someone who has personally experienced the pain of losing everything, I understand the fears, uncertainties, and hopes of the people I serve. That shared experience allows me to connect with refugees and host communities with empathy, respect, and genuine understanding. Every individual who takes a step toward self-reliance reminds me of my own journey.

Looking back, I realise that Opportunity International gave me much more than employment. It gave me a second chance to rebuild my professional life. The organisation recognised my abilities beyond my refugee status, trusted me with greater responsibilities, invested in my growth, and enabled me to contribute meaningfully to transforming the lives of thousands of others.

When I crossed the border into Uganda in September 2016, I believed I had lost everything. Today, I see a very different picture. I have rebuilt my life, regained my dignity, grown professionally from Financial Inclusion Officer to Project Officer, and found a new calling in serving others.

Every refugee or host community member who opens a savings account, starts a business, accesses finance, or creates a better future for their family reminds me that hope can be restored.

My story is proof that displacement does not define a person's future. When people are given opportunity, trusted with responsibility, and empowered with the right tools, they can rebuild their lives and help transform the lives of many others.

Opportunity International did not simply provide me with a job. It gave me the opportunity to rediscover my purpose and become part of a mission that restores hope, promotes dignity, and creates lasting economic opportunity for refugees and host communities.

For me, becoming a refugee was not the end of my story. Through Opportunity International, it became the beginning of a new purpose—helping others move from surviving to thriving.

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