Agaba Bisengo
Why getting my degree is Important?
I was born in Congo-Kinshasa on December 1st 1982 to a young woman. Because my mother, who was 21-years-old at the time, did not have the ability to raise me, I grew up with my grandmother in a refugee camp in southwest Uganda. Growing up in a refugee camp was not easy. My grandmother and I had to move several times to survive the hardship of the refugee camp life. As a result, I had to attend several different primary schools and some other times I couldn't attend at all due lack of school fees.
In December 1994, shortly after the Rwandan genocide, my grandmother and I moved to Rwanda. In February 1996, I traveled to Kenya, where I stayed for 6 months before moving to the US to join my sisters. Moving to the US not only marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life but also gave me a number of valuable opportunities. First, for the first time in my life, I was able to be a citizen of a country. Secondly, it gave me the stability to pursue my education. I resumed my education by joining 7th grade in Montgomery County, MD and was able to finish my middle school and high school studies with honors. In September 2002, I joined Messiah College where I studied Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and minor in Economics.
While in college, I had to work three different jobs to pay for my tuition while studying 15 to 18 credit hours per semester and taking part in various extra-curricular activities. I was the president of the African Student Union Club, a member of the International Justice Mission, and a representative in the student government. During my 3rd year, I spent a semester at Temple University in Philadelphia as an exchange student. In my final year, I did an internship at the World Vision office in Washington DC.
After graduating from Messiah College, I led a mission of 14 American students to Congo and Rwanda. Our task was to teach Math, English and share the gospel with orphans in both nations. The mission was very challenging. For most of the team members, it was their first trip to Africa and, as a result, some students got sick because of the change in the weather and food. The budget constraints and medical problems of some of the team members taught me how to lead in challenging circumstances. Despite these obstacles, however, the team was able successfully accomplished its objectives.
I am currently living in Silver Spring, MD with my husband Alex and our 1-year-old son Mihigo. I am working as a Research Coordinator for the Corporate Executive Board, a best practices research firm serving over 3,700 leading corporations and nonprofit institutions. My role involves supporting the program leadership with editing, client communication and meeting planning. I am also actively involved in my community where I serve as a youth coordinator. I organize youth activities, lead fundraising events, and coordinate community meetings.
Getting my masters degree is important to me because growing up in refugee camps in East Africa exposed me to the various economic, social, and security challenges faced by millions of people in the developing world. Having witnessed the impact of underdevelopment, conflict, and forced displacement, I decided to pursue a career in international studies to help those in dire conditions by addressing their development, health, education, and security challenges. I believe online education is right for me because within my busy schedule at least this will be something to achieve while spending time with my 16-month-old son.