kelly nsabiyera

Kelly Nsabiyera was born and raised in Burundi. In 2015, political instability forced him and more than 216,000 others to flee their home country to neibouring countries. He sought refuge in Rwanda and lived in Mahama Refugee Camp. Kelly has faced struggles as a refugee, particularly the barriers to quality education, employment and achieving self-reliance. This journey shaped Kelly’s mission to support refugees' economic empowerment, create job opportunities, and empower youth in refugee camps by promoting their education, enhancing their skills through training and entrepreneurship, and advocating for their right to access these opportunities.

While pursuing his studies at the African Leadership University, Kelly met Gabriel Karerangabo, another fellow Burundian refugee who had also lived in Mahama Refugee Camp. They shared a determination to make a difference in refugee communities, and Kelly, co-founded Save the Refugee Youth aiming to empower refugee youth by advocating for their rights and building their capacity to impact their community and lead social transformation.