Connie Britton: Hi I’m Connie Britton, I am a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations
Development Program and today I have the great honor to speak to Sandrine.
And we’re going to let you tell your story.
Sandrine Umutoni: I’m originally from Congo and I flee because of the war and I flee in
2008.
That’s when it started, and I flee to Uganda and to Kenya.
Connie: How did you feel during all that?
Was it very terrifying?
Sandrine: Oh yes, for a 13 year old girl to see all that, it was something I couldn’t
handle.
It was very bad.
Connie: I know.
I’m sure you had to see a lot of things that were really hard to see.
Sandrine: But when you’re in the situation you don’t really think.
You don’t really have much time to worry about things that are happening you just have
to find your way out.
Connie: So and then once you were in Uganda then where did you go from there?
And you spent over a year there.
Sandrine: Yeah.
So this pastor went in Kenya for like a mission thing, a church thing, and when he got there
he made this- he was in a Congolese church and he told us about it and he goes and he
said he met so many Congolese there maybe I know a family there.
When we got there it was just a reason that they announced that we’re there and we saw
our big brother there.
Connie: You saw your big brother?
Sandrine: We found our big brother in the church.
Connie: Oh wow in Kenya?
Sandra: Yeah.
Connie: Oh my goodness, and all this time you didn’t know where he was?
Sandrine: No we didn’t know where he was.
But when he said that he found so many Congolese, we hoped we would find family there.
Connie: Yeah, and so when you left Congo without him, did you think, where did you think?
Sandrine: We thought he was dead.
We thought he was dead.
Connie: Oh my goodness.
Sandrine: Yeah, because we wouldn’t think they’re alive.
We thought we would never meet them again.
Connie: And your parents?
Sandrine: I don’t know about them.
I only know about you know my siblings, apart from the ones.
About the ones I know about.
Connie: So when you were 13 had your parents already
Sandrine: Yeah, my family was seven people and nine with my parents.
Connie: Oh wow, so everyone else in your family was lost in the fighting, you think or?
Sandrine: I don’t know.
I don’t know about that because I’ve never heard of them.
So I’m assuming they’re alive and they’re watching.
Connie: Oh maybe they’ll find you too.
Sandrine: If they are, hi.
I’m alive.
Connie: If they’re watching, they’re going to be very proud.
Sandrine: I pray so.
Connie: Yeah, of course.
What was it that then happened that brought you to the United States?
Sandrine: Oh so when you get in Kenya as a refugee you go to the United States and get
asylum seeker.
And then from there they try to resettle you, but it takes long because they have a lot
of refugees there.
And you went state by state and it took me 6 years to be here.
Connie: What is it that you’re working toward trying to do here?
Sandrine: I will further my education, and find a nice job, and make a life.
Connie: So you’re saying you’re going to go to college in the fall.
What are your hopes and dreams in America?
Sandrine: I want to be a pediatrician, I love kids.
Connie: Oh amazing.
Sandrine: So I’m just going to start with nursing for four years and then get my masters.
Connie: Is there something in particular coming in as a refugee, into the United States, would
there be any message that you would want to tell Americans about?