Afuwa was born in a village in Congo called Baraka. Her parents were teachers and she was the youngest of three children. She left Congo when she was 5 to end up in a refugee camp in Burundi.
This was a terrible period for her family. She was at the camp for 17 years and came to RI in 2022 with her children, ages 16, 14, 10 and 2.
She was very nervous about leaving and what life would be like in the USA. She giggles a bit when she says that she was surprised when they landed in the USA and there were so many people with different white skin. And that the roads had bridges that went under and over one another.
She has relatives in RI who help with childcare. She takes the bus across town so her aunt can take care of her 2-year old while she is at Beautiful Day, and makes sure her three older children catch the bus to school. They like Providence because they never go hungry, they have clothes, and feel safe.
She is leaving Beautiful Day for a job with Edesia, which means she will continue to grow and help her children, and that gives her hope. Edesia produces plumpy-nut, which helps feed malnourished children around the world.
Afuwa speaks fondly of Beautiful Day. She says she made friends and learned a lot, and it helped her get the job at Edesia where measuring, mixing, and bagging food in a food-safe environment is key.
