Passion for war-affected youth leads CEEDAY founder back to Burundi
WINNIPEG, MB—A young man who has dedicated his life to helping war-affected children in Africa is moving back to his native country next month after living in Winnipeg for the past several years.
Jackson Nahayo leaves for his village in Burundi on December 12, returning to his home with a nursing degree he earned in Winnipeg as well as a 40-foot container full of donated medical supplies.
The supplies—and Nahayo's nursing expertise—will be used at a clinic that is being built near Mugimbu.
CEEDAY (Canadians Enabling the Education and Development of African Youth), an organization Nahayo founded, is shipping the container, which also contains a computer, a photocopier, a printer, books and other educational materials. CEEDAY works to empower "children and young adults in Africa who have experienced the trauma of war and ethnic violence."
Nahayo says he feels overwhelmed when he thinks about the move, but he is also excited.
"I know that the need over there is very big and I won't be able to cover it all, so it gets overwhelming sometimes with preparing," the 25-year-old says. "But, it's something that I've planned to do right from the beginning."
Nahayo was six years old when rebel soldiers attacked his village, abducting him and his eight-year-old sister, along with other children. Eventually, the rebels left Nahayo for dead in the jungle.
Nahayo believed his family was dead and lived with various refugees over the next few years, moving from country to country. In 1996, two Mennonite Central Committee workers in Zambia took Nayaho into their family and eventually sponsored him to immigrate to Canada.
When a friend of Nayaho's found out that his family was still alive—including his sister—Nahayo travelled to visit them. He was ecstatic to see his family, but disheartened by the poverty and lack of resources in Burundi.
In conjunction with its sister organization in Burundi, BEEDAY, Nahayo and CEEDAY have built a resource centre that consists of three buildings—a resource centre, a building where 10 orphaned youth can stay at a time and also a storage facility for the programs the resource centre runs, including a chicken farm and providing nutritious meals for local children.
"If there could be one or two kids that will turn out like me, or maybe even better than I am, we're talking about having a better world," Nayaho says.
He has also used his entrepreneurial spirit to start a few small businesses in the area, so that his fellow Burundians can make money to support themselves.
Nahayo will put his skills to use as a nurse in the village's clinic, where health care workers provide vaccinations and general health care.
CEEDAY will continue its work in Canada and Nahayo says he plans to return from time to time to talk about what is happening in his village and to thank donors for their support.
He says that his belief that the best investment in life is kindness is what motivates him to do good for others.
"You can't really go wrong with just being kind and doing the right thing," Nahayo says. "And I believe that we're all called to be kind. Some people don't take that path, but I think that's what we should do."
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
