Refugee girl in Malawi defies odds, qualifies as medica doctor

A girl who came to Malawi at the age of six and lived almost all her teenage life in a refugee camp before qualifying for Malawi’s Zodiak Best Girl Award schorlarships to study medicine in 2009 returned Thursday  from China as a qualified medical doctor.

There were tears of joy from Dr. Mirreille Twayigira and the group of about 50 members of the refugee community at Dzaleka when the girl, now 24, emerged from her plane at Kamuzu International Airport six years after she left for studies in China.

Her life has virtually changed from that of a refugee from a war-torn country to a happy medical doctor ready to serve and save the suffering.

Dr. Twaigira is one of a list of beneficiaries of Zodiak Girls’ Award scholarship obtained through the Chinese Embassy.

“I am so thankful for all this and hope to put my skills to good use and for the benefit of human beings.

“There are processes I must follow before I begin practising in Malawi. But I guess my internship will be at Kamuzu Central Hospital,” she said.

Six years ago a little refugee girl aged 18 went through Kamuzu International Airport out on her first ever flight to the peoples’ Republic of China to study medicine.

Now she is a medical doctor.

“Our Mirreille is back. She is now a medical doctor. We are so excited and thankful to Zodiak for this initiative in the partnership with China. Look, this girl is transformed.

“And to think this is happening so far away from home, we feel really welcome here,” her uncle said.

Before going to China, she was studying at Catholic School Likuni Secondary school where she came out tops with six points.

She automatically qualified for Zodiak Best Girl Award initiative in 2009-10 where she studied medicine at Hebei University .

Dr. Twayigira is not without advice to young girls still in school and going through challenges. She says the answer is work and work and work hard.

The ZODIAK Best Girl Award initiative was mooted in 2006 and has so far benefitted 31 young girls with scholarships to China, Russia and the USA.