Sarah’s Story

“I hope that many more young girls (…) will be able to fulfil their dreams.”

In the DRC, after political upheavals and the recent outbreak of the worst Ebola crisis so far, the healthcare sector is faced with particularly difficult challenges, meaning that training of nurses and advanced healthcare professionals is absolutely crucial to provide quality care to the population.  

However, lack of funds and infrastructure makes this especially hard, which is why ISSI is at the forefront of improving the nation’s healthcare services. The undergrad course for nurses is deemed as the best in the country and the scholarships offered to students like Sarah offer to women, whose personal circumstances don’t allow them to pay for their education themselves, a chance to pursue a professional career and contribute to the urgently needed improvement of the healthcare sector.  

“My name is Sarah and I am a Nurse! I finished training at ISSI in Kinshasa, DRC, in August earlier this year and I am well aware that I was very lucky to have been able to study at ISSI, in spite of everything…   My father died when I was 8, and my mother had to take care of me and my younger brothers and sisters. It was not easy for her.   

In my first year at ISSI, I had a partial scholarship, and this enabled her to pay the rest of my tuition fees. I wanted my mother to be proud of me, and so I studied very hard, and I finished the year with a distinction! She was very happy and so was I.   

In my 2nd year, I lived through one of the most painful experiences of my life. My mother – my best friend – died. I was absolutely distraught, and I thought I would have to drop out of school but the Representative of the Students’ Aids Office called me and told me that I had been given a complete scholarship and would be able to finish the 2 remaining years of my studies. I was greatly relieved and resolved to finish the year with a distinction, in honour of my mother’s memory, which I did. I am sure she was happy and very proud of myself. I have finally finished my 3rd year at ISSI and now I am a Nurse. One of my greatest dreams has come true and I am so happy. ISSI helped me get a job as a Hospice Aide, and with what I earn, I can contribute towards my younger brothers and sisters’ tuition fees.   

I am very grateful to ISSI for the support I received during these past 3 years, and I hope that many more young girls like me will be able to benefit from similar scholarships and fulfil their dreams. Congo needs so many good Nurses. It would save so many lives and improve the quality of life of the entire Nation.”  

Sarah is a former student at ISSI in the Democratic Republic of Congo.