"I belong to the Banyamulenge Tutsi Tribe. My mother was born in Mulenge and married at 16 years old. My mother later mo ved to Mbuji-Mayi so when she had kids they would be able to go to school and my father was a business man. August 2, 1998 the government of DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) ordered the genocide of all Tutsi people in Congo. Multiple occasions the police visited our home in search of my father and request for our money. My mom would say my dad was off on business, when in fact he was at home hiding. If the police knew of his whereabouts it would be the last time we'd see him. Televised everywhere my mom heard that the president was willing to kill any Tutsi and keep their belongings so we went into hiding. 

"My mother did everything in her power to try and keep us hidden. Unfortunately we were found. September 23, 1998 we were captured along with 4 other families and carried into a truck to a death camp. Everyday was a fight for survival as we watched our loved ones be tortured and murdered in front of us. Each day we were threatened to be the next family, but God didn't let it happen. While in the death camp my mother found out she was pregnant with twins. With no medical care my mother had my twin brothers on the cold concrete, she cut the umbilical cord with a piece of wood and tied it with the thread from her hair. She named the twins after the commanders who captured us in hopes of saving their lives.

"And it did, the commander and his wife were honored at the gesture and the wife helped look after the little ones. For 16 months we slept on cold concrete floors with no windows and had to share a small amount of food amongst 9. My mother barely ate because she wanted to make sure we were fed. After 16 months we were rescued by American Red Cross and found refuge in Phoenix. As I got older I later found out that the government had ordered for all the men to be murdered, my father being one of them. I'm sharing this, not for sympathy but to show that we each have a story that has shaped us into the people we are today.

"I'm just Namuzeyi Nyazigama Moise and I don't think my life is worth more than anyone else's. Why my family and I survived I don't know, but I was given a second chance and I want to use it loving others unconditionally, taking chances, learning and growing from others and giving back. I could live my life hating the people who took away so much from me, but that wouldn't make me any better than them. I would rather take that energy and use it to spread love and laughter.

"We only have one life; don't take it for granted. We all have a story that has transformed us into who we are, and with that we choose how we want to live out the rest of our lives. So stay true to where you come from, who you have become and strive to be and trust the process."

- Zeyi Moise, our beloved #CorioGirl.