Lea Raly was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a beautiful town called Bukavu. At the age of two, she and her family fled their home country due to the ongoing war and violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After an arduous journey, full of uncertainty about finding safe refuge, she ended up staying in the neighboring country of Burundi as a refugee for the next 17 years. She went to school in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi, and graduated from high school in 2017 from Congolese Center School. Life in Burundi was not easy, since Lea and her family were marginalized, and seen as outsiders. As a result, she and her parents struggled to find jobs and make enough money to survive.
Even during these difficult times, Lea always extended her heart for others and looked for ways to help others in need. She always takes initiative to help others that are in need, especially orphan children. In Bujumbura, Lea tried to reach out to orphan children she met, inviting them into her home, and sharing what little she had. So it has become Lea’s dream to help orphans and possibly provide them with shelter and a safe and loving environment where they can flourish and grow. Lea and her family arrived in Twin Falls, Idaho on March
1st, 2018. Since her arrival only six months ago, she has begun work at the Chobani Yogurt factory and has started Fall classes at the College of Southern Idaho. She plans to continue her education and become a nurse. Becoming a nurse has been her childhood dream. Lea wants to use her nursing education to help children and orphans, like the ones she knew back in Burundi. She would like also to volunteer at the CSI Refugee Programs while she is attending school to become a nurse, to give back to an organization that helped her and her community.