Congolese Refugee Living in Brazil Attends Med School and Helps out His Home Country

06/20/2018 - 10h48

Louison Mbombo, 23, is a refugee who has been living in Brazil for five years. When he was a child living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he had a dream. Now he's beginning to acomplish it: he had always wanted to become a doctor and develop a project that could benefit society.

His father, a surgeon who had an NGO that offered first aid services and performed free surgeries, was an important influence.

In addition to attending medical school at a public college, Louison received an award from Unesco in 2017 for developing a project aimed at fighting malaria.

In 2013, political instability in Congo forced him to seek asylum. The country, which is ranked 176th in terms of HDI, has found itself in the midst of armed conflicts and a humanitarian crisis. The UN estimated that 2.4 million Congolese citizens were forced to leave the country in 2018.

	Alexandre Rezende/Folhapress COTIDIANO
	Louison Mbombo at the Federal University of Minas Gerais

Upon arriving in São Paulo, Louison was taken in by an institution and managed to secure a scholarship which enabled him to attend a private high school. He also took a college prep course. He later managed to get into medical school at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and is currently in his sixth semester.

In 2017, Lousion founded "Solidarity in Mokili" in Congo, an NGO that helps bring doctors, nurses and lawyers together. "Mokili" means "world" in the young doctor's native tongue.

A class on the transmission of malaria inspired him to elaborate a new project: to distribute mosquito nets and anti-malaria medicine while helping people become aware of the risks that still water poses. Louison has proposed setting up an international malaria prevention and control center in 27 different countries.

When Unesco presented several different projects and organized a popular vote, Louison's idea received 53,360 votes, which led him to win the Unesco award. He also received the AWP Network's Builders of Africa's Future award.

Louison is currently trying to secure funding so that he can implement his project and take action in other places.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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