6 Rochester City Siblings Completing Degrees at MCC
March 9, 2020
5 brothers and 1 sister flee violence in Congo, pursue brighter futures in U.S.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – In 2013, the Ndoole siblings and their mom fled the rebel-controlled city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Leaving with the clothes on their backs and a bedsheet for warmth, they also carried the hope of opportunity — to achieve a college education and a brighter future.
Today, five Ndoole brothers and a sister make Rochester their home and are pursuing associate degrees at Monroe Community College.
The eldest is Ruwanda “Sam,” 27, followed by twins Kikuru “Greg” and Kito, 24; Ricardo, 23; Heros, 20; and Mariana, 17.
Their career interests are as varied as their reasons why MCC inspires them. One family member is majoring in global studies; another is studying homeland security. Three are in the liberal arts and sciences-general studies program – each pursuing a different interest: human services, engineering science, and biology. Another is also pursuing an engineering science degree. All are multilingual speakers.
Their ultimate goal is to make a difference in the world through their life’s work.
“After everything that we went through in our lives, we all want to be part of something that will help people,” said Sam, who came to MCC in 2017 in pursuit of a career with an intergovernmental organization. “MCC is one of the best schools as far as I know. You feel welcomed at MCC. Plus, we have all the resources that we need. Imagine coming from a place where you have to walk five to 10 miles to go to school. You have to dream about being in a library to study. But here we have computers everywhere, the library, pretty much everything we need.”
Having been displaced from their homeland, the Ndoole siblings said meeting diverse students on campus and having faculty and staff who care about their personal success have eased their adjustment to college life. Since starting college, the brothers have befriended fellow students from Congo, Nigeria, and other countries in Africa.
”I’ve met some incredible people here who are willing to help you,” said Kito, who plans to work in the human services field. “If I have a little problem or need something, I always run to those people. They’re always there for us, for students.”
The Ndoole siblings said they are appreciative of all the support they have received since arriving in Rochester with no English skills and having had to rebuild their lives from scratch. They have an insatiable appetite for learning and a desire to integrate into the local community. All the brothers balance studying full time and working off campus. Two of them hold full-time jobs.
Ricardo, who is completing his second year at MCC, juggles engineering classes, part-time work, and scholarly opportunities through the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP).
The youngest of the group, Mariana plans to apply to medical school after MCC to become a doctor and travel the world providing care. “After what had happened to my family, I’ve wanted to not only go back to Congo but go to different countries to help women and children,” she said.
More inspiring stories of the Ndoole family are waiting to unfold.
Besides the five brothers and sister, there are five other children in the household: twins Odette and Odile, 15; Benjamin, 13; Bazile, 10; and Hersen, 7.
The twin girls plan to begin their MCC journey in fall 2020.
This close-knit, gregarious Ndoole family is headed by matriarch Mubawa Bahati, who lost her husband to violence in Goma. After settling in Rochester, she completed cooking classes while raising her family and now works in dining services at a local college.
“Our story should be an inspiration to people that you can do anything you want but education comes first,” said Kito, who like his older brothers earned a high school diploma in Congo. “Us being here is a miracle after what we’ve been through. We try to turn a bad situation into a positive one.”
Shown in photo from left: Heros, Ricardo, Mariana, Kito, Kikuru and Ruwanda Ndoole.