For almost 500 hundred years the tribes of Hutu and Tutsi shared the lands of East Africa or what is now known as the countries of Rwanda and Burundi. During the colonial rules of Germany and then Belgium, the Tutsi eventually became wealthier and were granted a higher social status and leading positions in the government. The Hutu ethnic group was more numerous than the Tutsi. When Burundi gained independence in 1976 elections were held and a Tutsi Prime Minister was appointed which some Hutu felt was unjust as they had just won the elections. As the military and the police was dominated by the Hutu ethnic group, violence started between the two tribes. The conflict has continued for many years. Many people died, were forced to leave their homes and were left in poverty. Dr. Bertille Kaneza-Nowak was born in Burundi and grew up in this troubled country.

In 2005, she was awarded a scholarship in China that allowed her to study medicine. Bertille left family and friends behind and went to a new and very different country. She had to learn Chinese over the course of one year. The hard work paid off and she successfully passed the Chinese fluency test which allowed her to start her medical degree. While studying she met her future husband who is German. She continued studying for 5 years and successfully graduated. But the young couple wanted to start a new life elsewhere. They thought about Burundi, however, it was still not as stable as they wanted it to be. They decided against it and ended up moving to Germany.

When they arrived in Germany, she also planned on continuing being a doctor. Unfortunately, Germany did not recognize her degree and so she had to study again. For a whole year she took hardcore German lessons everyday! Once she was done she took a test. They had moved to the state of Hessen, but now it had proved difficult for her to take the medical license test there because the officials in charge of the diploma equivalence kept changing the requirements. She was an inch away from quitting. Even friends and family were telling her to stop and advised her to find another career, but her determination saved her and she continued pursuing her dream. In Germany, each state has its own rules and regulations. She decided to try the process in the state of Baden Wurttemberg. This is one of the states with most immigration, so the officials there were more accustomed to being exposed to the diversity of immigrants’ backgrounds and were more amenable and flexible to grant her an equivalent recognition for her Chinese diploma. They allowed her to sit the licensing exam which she passed.

Doctor Kaneza is today a mother and a successful doctor. She speaks five languages and considers Germany her home. She yearns for the sense of belonging she had while living in Burundi but it’s doubtful she can soon return there, even to visit. Her migration story is a success because she was determined, hardworking and always followed her dream. She also had the love and support of her new family in Germany.

Although some people might have a negative view on migrants, this isn’t always the case. Some of them are unique in their own way. Migrants aren’t just people you should ignore, and you should treat them with the same respect, even if they have different beliefs and customs. The host country is lucky to benefit from their knowledge and experience gained from a different country/culture. If it weren’t for migrants, we would not be easily exposed to new cultures and the different foods, arts and music that these people bring with them. Countries like Germany which have an ageing population also benefit from the incoming migrant population to boost their labour force. It has been proven through economic facts that migration has always benefitted the host country. They contribute more in taxes than what they receive in benefits and they bring skills and technological ideas that could become the next revolutionary discovery in science and technology, such as ground breaking Covid 19 vaccine technology. We should welcome and be grateful for their often treacherous and difficult journeys to join the rest of us in a harmonious society.