Mauwa grew up in a camp in Tanzania where her parents and grandmother had fled from the DR Congo. While she has fond memories of cousins and special games in the camp, she also experienced the loss of her mother to illness and her grandmother who chose to return to DRC rather than resettlement.
Mauwa arrived in RI, speaking no English, in February 2016 along with her 7 siblings, father and step-mother. She is now 16, attends the RI Nurses Charter School and considers the loss of her mother as her inspiration to become a nurse and help those who are sick. She recognizes that the opportunities ahead of her were made possible because her family fled danger—so she values them deeply.
Some of Mauwa’s friends had warned her that BD’s program would be difficult. Her secret for making things easy involves knowing how to follow directions. She’s especially eager to start the practicum at a farmer's market because she enjoys meeting new people and she believes that customer service and nursing both rely on good social and communication skills. Mauwa has some big ambitions and we hope those of you who live in RI will soon have the chance to meet and chat with her at a farmers’ market.
