Daniel Rukwasha — Founder, Urafiki Fellowship

About

About Daniel Rukwasha

Daniel Rukwasha is the Founder & Chairman of the Board of Urafiki Fellowship, a humanitarian education nonprofit based in Goma, North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, focused on youth empowerment, peacebuilding, and civic leadership. Originally from eastern DRC, he speaks French, English, Swahili, and Lingala, and is currently a sophomore at Berea College in Kentucky, USA, double majoring in Computer Science and Quantitative Economics.

Education

Academic Background

Berea College

B.A., Computer Science & Quantitative Economics

Full-tuition merit scholarship · Dean's List

Cornerstone Leadership Academy

One-year leadership, mathematics, and economics program (taught in English)

Scholarship recipient · Achieved full French-to-English fluency within the program year

Collège Mont Carmel

État Diploma, avec distinction

Campus Involvement

Leadership & Campus Involvement at Berea College

Program Manager, NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), Berea College Chapter
Student Software Engineer, Student Software Development Team (SSDT) — contributes to the CELTS project, a Flask-based application supporting Berea's campus labor program

Humanitarian Work

Founder, Urafiki Fellowship

Daniel founded Urafiki Fellowship to address the educational and civic gaps facing youth in eastern DRC, a region shaped by decades of conflict. Since its founding, the organization has run education, peacebuilding, and women's empowerment programs across North Kivu.

Key Initiatives

Irenge Rukwasha Peace Prize

A self-funded poetry and literary competition across 10 secondary schools in Goma (April 2026)

FESCOL GOMA (Festival Scolaire de Goma)

A city-wide academic and cultural championship for 15–20 secondary schools in Goma, spanning nine disciplines including poetry, theater, sciences, and civic knowledge

Strategic Partnership — HMK Foundation

Strategic partnership development with the Harold M. Kashala (HMK) Foundation

Recognition

Awards & Honors

2025 · Médiathèque d'Hyères, France

First Prize, Short Story Competition

Awarded First Prize in the 2025 Short Story Competition organized by the Médiathèque d'Hyères for the original short story Les Ombres de l'Héritage, a work exploring family succession, cultural traditions, and intergenerational conflict.

View competition booklet (Médiathèque d'Hyères)

2024 · Rawbank Academia × YouScribe, Democratic Republic of Congo

Official Laureate, National Writing Competition

Selected among the five official laureates of the Rawbank Academia × YouScribe National Writing Competition, an initiative recognizing outstanding young literary talent through the We Act cultural program.

View official announcement (Rawbank Academia)

2022 · Fondation Josué Mufula, Democratic Republic of Congo

Fourth Prize, Inter-School Poetry Competition for Peace

Ranked 4th among more than 20 award recipients in the Second Inter-School Poetry Competition for Peace, organized by the Fondation Josué Mufula, bringing together students from 38 schools under the theme “Plumes pour la paix, un Congo à réinventer.”

View press coverage (Grands Lacs News)

About Daniel Rukwasha

Academic Background

Leadership & Campus Involvement at Berea College

Founder, Urafiki Fellowship

Awards & Honors

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