My name is HATUNGIMANA Chretier. I am 20 years old, and I live in Mahama Refugee Camp, where people come from many different countries. Most of my friends and neighbours speak French because they come from French-speaking countries; however, here in Rwanda, everyone primarily uses English. This made it very hard for me to learn and communicate.
Before I joined the Inzira English Program, I was a timid boy. I wanted to speak English like the teachers and visitors, but I didn't know how. Every day, I struggled to understand lessons and talk to others. In class, when the teacher asked a question, I stayed quiet because I was afraid I would say something wrong and people would laugh at me.
Then one day, I heard about the Inzira Accelerator English classes. I decided to join. From the first lesson, everything felt different. We started with simple greetings, songs, and games. We practiced talking about our names, families, and favourite things.
At first, I only said one or two words. But with time, I gained confidence. We practiced every day, and our teachers made learning fun. They gave us small challenges and cheered for us when we tried. Slowly, I began speaking in full sentences. I even started helping my younger sister with her English at home.
Inzira helped me find my voice. Because of them, I can now speak English with new people, understand stories, and even help others. My dream is to become a teacher, an English teacher, so I can help other children find their voice, too.
