For refugees new to the United States, the journey doesn’t end upon arrival. Bonfils from the Democratic Republic of Congo shares how his family is utilizing Uber credits during their first few months in Louisville, Kentucky.
Since arriving in Louisville, Kentucky in November 2023, 22-year-old Bonfils, along with his parents and younger siblings, has been using Uber for transportation to doctor's appointments, job interviews, and grocery shopping.
The IRC provided them with credits donated by Uber, so they could travel to appointments in their new community. “The Uber credits are really important, especially for the young people, and the new refugees. Because when you come, you don't have a car, you don't have a ride, you don't even know the system of riding a bus,” explains Bonfils.
Bonfils spent his childhood in a Burundi refugee camp after his family was forced to flee conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite being just five years old at the time of their departure, Bonfils retains memories of life in the DRC. “We had many, many, many cows. I cannot even count them. So it was kind of our fortune,” he says. “But then the war came and destroyed everything that we had. It was really terrible.”
Violence broke out in the middle of the night outside his family’s home as armed groups stormed into their village of Mulenge. “I was sleeping, then I heard someone,” he recalls. “It was my neighbor, saying 'Come, come, come, come. We've got to flee.' The [armed groups] came, so we had to flee.”
Bonfils, too young to grasp the situation, recalls his neighbor holding onto his hand as they fled his home, while his parents did the same with his two younger siblings.
It was a terrifying moment for their family and their community. “If the armed groups found someone in the house, they would just kill them,” says Bonfils. “And they burned all the houses. They put fire on the houses, gas. That's what I heard.”
Bonfils and his family journeyed through the night in search of safety. Eventually, they arrived at a refugee camp in Burundi where they lived for 17 years. During this time, Bonfils took on the role of an older brother to seven siblings.
Life in the refugee camp was difficult and Bonfils struggled to see a future for himself and his siblings. “I didn't have a good school. I didn't have all the materials needed. I didn’t have a computer. I didn't even have a phone” he explains. “I didn't know if there was a real world where someone can be happy having all he needs.”
“Because I haven't got the nationality, I couldn't work there [Burundi],” Bonfils says about finding employment. “Even the Burundians don’t have work. They are jobless. They need something to eat. Imagine being a refugee.”
In 2023, the Bonfils family received the news that they had been granted refugee status in the United States. They were given the opportunity to resettle in Louisville, Kentucky. As Bonfils was considered an adult, his family arrived in the U.S. first, and he followed shortly after. “I was really joyful,” he says. “Because I knew that I was changing my life. I had a bad life. A really bad life and bad story.”
Even though it was his first time flying, Bonfils was filled with excitement, knowing that he would soon arrive at the place where he planned to spend the rest of his life. He felt incredibly fortunate, realizing that not many people received the same opportunity. “Many people from all over the world are praying to come here. Not just refugees,” he says. “Even the Burundians, where I am from, said 'Ah you are so lucky man, when you go there, remember us!'”
The IRC welcomed Bonfils upon his arrival in Louisville. They assisted him in settling into housing and provided an orientation on life in America. Additionally, the team provided him with donated Uber credits that enable him to travel around the city.
The IRC provided Bonfils with employment support, helping him look for a position that suited his skills. Within four months of arriving in the U.S., he received a job offer from a company that specializes in repairing laptops, phones, and iPads.
Uber rides were crucial for Bonfils during the interview process and as he began his new job. “I remember when I was doing the orientation, work orientation. It was two days. They gave me Uber credits to go there and back,” he says. “I also used Uber credits for the first day of the job. So that I was not late as it is bad to be late for the first day.”
The credits played a vital role in granting his family transportation access during their initial six months in Louisville. In times of emergency, his sister reached out to Dakota, an IRC team member, who promptly provided her with Uber credits for hospital visits. Similarly, Bonfils’ parents utilized Uber for their medical appointments.
Moreover, Bonfils’ mother has utilized Uber credits to participate in her English classes. Proficient in four African languages, she is determined to master English to reenter the workforce.
Bonfils is happy to be working so he can support his family, but he hopes his parents will be able to find jobs and become self-sufficient. He would like to see more companies create opportunities for refugees like him and his parents, who are eager to contribute their time and skills. Speaking about his mother, he says, “She is not going to be absent from work even one day because she knows the path. She knows the consequences of being hungry.”
Bonfils aspires to pursue psychology and is currently seeking Federal Student Aid. His ambition is to become a therapist, dedicated to supporting individuals in his community.
He also assists his parents in looking after his younger siblings. Each morning, he assists them in preparing for school and escorts them to their bus stops. He takes joy in the fact that his younger brothers, Mahara aged 10, and Kevin aged 8, have a passion for soccer and are blossoming into skilled players.
As Bonfils reflects on their time as refugees in Burundi, he shares why he and his family are so driven to create a better future for themselves.
“In Burundi, we didn't even have a cup of milk,” Bonfils says. “If we had only a cup of milk we would share it with eight children, only one cup, so that you can just sense, you can just taste how the milk tasted. So, we need the opportunity. We need to see our future brighter.”
Since 2017, Uber has played a vital role as a partner of the IRC, offering Uber credits for client transportation services, in-app fundraisers and matched donations Together with Uber users, they’ve supported $4 million for the IRC's Ukraine response and nearly $2 million for the IRC’s Afghanistan response.
In 2023, Uber pledged an additional $1.5 million over three years to address the transportation needs of IRC clients and staff. This support aids the IRC’s clients in their pursuit of stability and self-reliance, assisting them in overcoming the significant challenge of access to transportation as they reconstruct their lives.
