Baudouin Yengo, 14, is a young Congolese who returned to Libenge in Equateur Province, northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Baudouin and his family have spent 4 years at Batalimo refugee camp in the Central African Republic. “I know that we fled Libenge because there was something wrong here”, said Baudouin who was 10 at the time. An inter-ethnic conflict resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands. More than 120,000 people have been refugees in Republic of Congo and 20,000 in Central African Republic. Baudouin, like more than 6,200 other Congolese refugees in Batalimo camp, has been repatriated by UNHCR. The voluntary repatriation exercise has been conducted from April 10th to May 10th this year. “I arrived in Libenge on Friday 25th April 2014,” he said.

The day after his return, Baudouin went to Wapaka primary school to continue his education. “I am studying in the 5th class at Wapaka primary school.” This new school consists of six classrooms and has been built by UNHCR with funding from Japan. In the fifth classroom, there is 147 students, 70 girls and 77 boys. However, many of them are regularly absent. Baudouin is a very good student he states, “I like arithmetic and everything related to calculation.” Baudouin would like to work in the medical sector he states “I want to become a nurse. I want to help those who suffer.”

Baudouin walks many kilometers to go to school and to return home, he explains,“I am living with my grandmother close to the river. It is very far from the school.” When he is not working in the field, he plays football with his friends. He is a good striker on the pitch. In his spare time, he likes eating cassava leaves and fish, and thinks about his friends in Batalimo John, Freddy and Moses.