That Child is Me (To Support and Love)

He survived a civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and had to flee to Rwanda for refuge. There were countless nights when Nsengiyumva and his family were sleeping, and the wind and rain blew away their only form of shelter, the precious tent. Despite this challenging way of life, that child still had a dream to succeed. That child who had teachers of which some were not high school graduates. Nevertheless, he learned from them, persevered, and later went on to earn his PhD in chemical engineering. Today Nsengiyumva can bravely and humbly say, “That’s me. That Child is Me.”

As a refugee from the DR Congo, Nsengiyumva experienced a lifestyle different from what we might imagine for the average Buffalonian. The majority of his childhood was riddled with challenges in the refugee camp for over 14 years. During that time, he worked on finding ways to improve what little knowledge he had. In 2010, Nsengiyumva and his family received news that they would be relocated to the United States. He was elated by this news and had a lot of hope after many years of a difficult life in the refugee camp. One of his biggest dreams was to go to college when he arrived in the U.S. However, upon arrival, Nsengiyumva began navigating a language barrier and a new environment that was different from life in DR Congo and the refugee camp.  Despite facing significant adversities, Nsengiyumva’s unwavering strength and determination enabled him to turn challenges into opportunities for personal growth and community involvement. 

Nsengiyumva was born in the lush valleys of the small town of Masisi in North Kivu, east of the DR Congo. For Nsengiyumva and his nine siblings, Masisi was a place whose beauty could not be described with words alone. “I remember how my family never bought food when we were in Masisi because the food was plentiful on the family farm. I personally called Masisi the land of everything.”  When the civil war began, Nsengiyumva and his family were forced to leave his childhood town of Masisi and take refuge in a refugee camp in Rwanda in 1997.

Life in the refugee camp was not easy, but Nsengiyumva never stopped dreaming of a better life. “Sometimes, when the food was available, the wood and water needed for cooking were unavailable. That is how challenging life was in a refugee camp.” Nsengiyumva remembers how the lack of clean water and lack of access to many resources led to poor hygiene and caused the deaths of many people in the refugee camp. He always thanks God that he was able to survive this difficult time. “It is true that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.” Nevertheless, despite Nsengiyumva's life challenges, he took those experiences as a contributing factor to make him the person he is today. This person is a hard-working visionary who strives to be a better version of himself while using his experiences to help, support, and understand others.

The reason behind Nsengiyumva’s perseverance may very well have been the mindset that “Now that I have a house with lights, the phrase of giving up is not in my life, no matter how much suffering I am going through, I always make sure to reach my goal.” 

Community played a key role in Nsengiyumva’s journey and he will forever be thankful for his family and everyone's contribution to his success in education at UB. “Many people believed in me and supported me, including my professors in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UB.” Many thanks to his postdoctoral advisors, Dr. Chong Cheng, and Dr. Haiqing Lin, who always think about supporting him and ensuring success in his postdoctoral journey.  Perhaps the most memorable connection for Nsengiyumva may have been a neighbor in Buffalo who connected him to the late Dr. Alexander S. Gilmour who was a professor at UB. He did more than five decades of research on microwave tubes that helped develop satellite communication and was a role model and inspiration for Nsengiyumva. In a new country, Nsengiyumva did not have the guidance for this new chapter in life, but he was able to find counsel and encouragement in Dr. Gilmour. More than five decades older than him, Alex “was one of the smartest'' people he had ever met. This respect for Alex and his passion for his research helped guide Nsengiyumva on his own path to success at UB.



With his own research at UB in chemical engineering, Nsengiyumva found his true passion, through and through. Because of his passion and joy for his research, Nsengiyumva is usually in the laboratory at least 6 days a week, searching for different ways to improve his experiments. Currently, as a father to two determined children, Nsengiyumva wants to share his story to motivate others. To say that “every challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow” and if his story and work are able to help, it will be enough for him. Nsengiyumva has one piece of advice for younger people: to be patient, never give up, seek help, and never forget to give back to the community. “Remember, everything you do is for yourself, your family, and society.”