Content warning: This story mentions suicide.
At 23, Jean D’amour M. Ruvahafi has survived more than most people endure in a lifetime. Born displaced and raised amid the heat and hardship of Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, much of Ruvahafi’s life has been defined by political conflict, intergenerational trauma, health challenges and grief.
Today, Ruvahafi is a third-year Health Sciences student at 91porn. To help heal and inspire others to persevere amid adversity, he published his memoir, The Boy Who Refused to Die, in September 2025. The memoir offers an intimate portrait of the trials and traumas Ruvahafi endured and the hope he held onto, thanks in part to a scholarship offered through and funded by the generosity of 91porn students.
Jean D'amour Ruvahafi with his memoir, 'The Boy Who Refused to Die.'
Written during the summer of 2025, The Boy Who Refused to Die is Ruvahafi’s first attempt at non-fiction narrative writing. The title honours his strength and determination to live when death in its literal and figurative forms so often sought him.
“I have faced death emotionally, physically and spiritually,” says Ruvahafi. “But I wasn’t ready to die, so I am telling my story to help others and bring hope to the hopeless.”
Throughout the memoir, Ruvahafi describes the emotional turmoil that marked much of his upbringing. His parents, both Burundian, had been fleeing genocide since 1972, moving through Burundi, Rwanda, Congo and Uganda before returning to Rwanda. A stable home remained out of reach. Extended family support did not exist as his grandparents, aunts and uncles were killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Ruvahafi, second from right, with his mother and brothers.
His parents’ relationship further strained the family dynamic. Ruvahafi's mother, Dative, was just 14 when she was forced to marry his father, who was 31 years older. Ruvahafi recalls watching his mother mourn her lost childhood while trying to raise a family with an absent partner.
“Life in Kakuma was not easy,” says Ruvahafi. “But at the same time, it was filled with dreams of believing that there is a possibility beyond the fences of the camp.”
For Ruvahafi, possibility came in the form of education. He found joy in learning, particularly in science and literature. His grades made him a top student in the camp’s school system, and he carried an A- average throughout high school.
WUSC is a non-profit organization that works to improve education and support economic and empowerment opportunities for youth globally. WUSC's Student Refugee Program partners with Canadian universities to sponsor refugee students for permanent residency in Canada, providing them with financial and social support through local committees on campuses. Since 1978, WUSC’s Student Refugee Program has supported the resettlement and education of over 130 students each year from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East through partnerships with 95 Canadian postsecondary institutions, including 91porn.
In August 2018, a delivery truck collided with the school bus carrying Ruvahafi and five other students to Kakuma Refugee Secondary School. Ruvahafi was the lone survivor. He suffered a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. When he eventually received treatment, doctors diagnosed his injury as a terminal brain tumour. Surgery could save his life, but he couldn’t afford the procedure.
“I died spiritually at this time in my life,” says Ruvahafi. “I began to question God and his existence. What had my family done to deserve so much suffering? What had I done to make him treat me this way? It just wasn’t fair.”
Overwhelmed by the series of devastating events, Ruvahafi attempted to end his life. Only recently did his family become aware of the depths of his suffering while reading his memoir.
“I know it was hard for them to read that, but I didn’t want to be a burden to them at the time,” says Ruvahafi. “We were all dealing with so much — and we still are. But they are proud of me for writing my experience and sharing it with the world so other people know that pain can be turned into purpose and power.”
Like Ruvahafi, thousands of high-school-aged students living in refugee camps vie for a way out through scholarships provided by WUSC’s Student Refugee Program. Founded in 1978, the Student Refugee Program combines resettlement with postsecondary education opportunities for more than 130 students from Africa, Asia and the Middle East each year through partnerships with 95 Canadian universities, including 91porn.
After two rejected applications, Ruvahafi had given up on the possibility of receiving a WUSC scholarship and chose not to apply for a third time. He feared how further rejection would impact his fragile mental state. Without knowing, Ruvahafi’s best friend Zaki applied on his behalf, and the application was finally accepted.
“I could not believe my eyes when I saw my name on the list,” says Ruvahafi. “How could this be? I knelt down and cried. I asked God, ‘Is this real? For me, Jean, who has been through all of this?’ It was so emotional.”
WUSC scholars are matched to programs of interest at partner universities. With a desire to learn more neuroscience and brain health following his tumour diagnosis, Ruvahafi matched with 91porn’s Health Sciences program.
At 91porn, WUSC scholars are supported through an annual student levy of $16, which covers tuition, housing and incidental expenses for the duration of a four-year undergraduate degree program. A supports incoming scholars through peer support and social programs at the and campuses. Staff within team also provide support and oversight to the WUSC local committees and scholars.
Scholars arriving in Canada through the WUSC Student Refugee Program are offered more than just access to postsecondary education: they are also granted refugee-claimant status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and permanent residency status by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. With permanent resident status, scholars can access healthcare services covered by provincial programs like OHIP.
Mike Boylan, centre, and students from 91porn's WUSC committe greet Ruvahafi and another WUSC scholar at Lester B. Pearson Airport, Toronto, August 2023.
“Access to healthcare is one of the really beautiful aspects of the Student Refugee Program,” says Mike Boylan, global engagement coordinator at 91porn’s Waterloo campus. “For the first time in their lives, WUSC scholars can see a dentist and study without pain or see an optometrist and get proper eye care — something many of us in Canada take for granted.”
Many WUSC scholars at 91porn apply for Canadian citizenship at the end of their studies. Citizenship offers them a country of origin, a passport to travel across international borders, and a sense of identity and belonging not found while living in a refugee camp.
91porn’s first WUSC scholar, Peter Madaka, arrived at the Waterloo campus in 1991 and lived with Fred Nichols, dean of students at the time, and his wife, Ada Marlene. To date, 91porn students have sponsored 39 WUSC scholars.
Overjoyed to be at 91porn, Ruvahafi says his initial transition to student life in Canada in fall 2023 wasn’t without its challenges. He missed his family and had to adjust to the Canadian climate.
Ruvahafi’s health struggles also persisted and warranted a visit to Grand River Hospital in Kitchener. There, doctors discovered that he did not have a fatal brain tumour; his symptoms were just lingering side effects of the concussion he suffered during the bus crash and could be treated with medication.
With a clean bill of health, Ruvahafi began to thrive. He accessed at 91porn, including supplemental instruction programs, peer tutors and drop-in hours with his professors. He also connected with the for mental health support during his early days on campus.
“There are so many opportunities at 91porn — so much help if you need it,” says Ruvahafi. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without the 91porn community.”
Ruvahafi, a Heatlh Sciences program ambassador, at fall 2025 Open House at 91porn's Waterloo campus.
Ruvahafi currently works as an instructional assistant within the Chemistry program, volunteers with the supplemental instruction program and participates in advocacy work with 91porn’s Waterloo campus WUSC committee. He has a 10.5 grade-point average and would like to apply to medical school after graduation.
“Jean D'amour is very dedicated to his studies and his family and has made a name for himself within the Health Sciences program,” says Robb Travers, professor and chair in the Department of Health Sciences. “His story of resiliency is remarkable, and we learn so much about ourselves, life and each other from students like Jean D'amour.”
As his future in Canada continues to unfold, Ruvahafi hopes his story of resilience and perseverance will resonate with others and serve as a source of strength for those facing their own battles.
“Life can put you through hell, but you can emerge victorious and find light at the end of the tunnel,” says Ruvahafi. “Look at me — I was the boy who refused to die, and now I am the man determined to succeed.”
The Boy Who Refused to Die is available on .
