July 13, 2026
News
Education has the power to transform lives, but for many refugee students, reaching higher education requires more than determination alone. For Jean Marie, the DAFI Scholarship provided the support he needed to complete his pharmacy studies and begin a career dedicated to improving community health. Today, he serves patients as a pharmacist while pursuing an even bigger vision to advance public health and pharmaceutical research.
Born and raised in Zambia to Rwandan parents, Jean Marie recently reached an important milestone in his journey. After graduating from the University of Zambia with a degree in Pharmacy, he began his career as a pharmacist in Kabwe, Zambia. He now helps ensure patients receive safe and effective medication while providing essential pharmaceutical guidance and care to the community he serves.
His path to this achievement was not without challenges.
Like many refugee and forcibly displaced students, Jean Marie faced financial barriers while pursuing higher education. Completing a pharmacy degree requires extensive practical training, including an internship that often comes without financial support. Meeting everyday living costs while remaining focused on such demanding studies was a significant obstacle. That changed when he became a recipient of the DAFI Scholarship, supported by the UNHCR and implemented by Caritas Czech Republic.
The scholarship covered his accommodation and living expenses during his internship, giving him the stability he needed to fully concentrate on learning and developing his professional skills.
"The DAFI scholarship gave me peace of mind during one of the most demanding periods of my studies. Instead of worrying about how I would support myself, I was able to focus on becoming the pharmacist I had always dreamed of being."
Today, Jean Marie is putting that opportunity into practice.
Working at Kabwe Pharmacy, he plays an important role in ensuring the safe dispensing of medicines and providing quality pharmaceutical care to members of the community. Beyond his daily responsibilities, he is proud that his career has enabled him to improve his own livelihood while supporting others around him.
For Jean Marie, success is measured not only by personal achievement but also by the positive impact he can make in people's lives.
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His ambitions continue to grow.
He hopes to pursue a Master's degree in Public Health to strengthen community health systems and later a second Master's in Research Pharmacy to contribute to pharmaceutical innovation and evidence-based healthcare. His long-term dream is to contribute to the discovery of new medicines that improve lives around the world.
"One day," he says with a smile, "I hope to have a drug named after me."
It is a dream rooted not in recognition, but in a desire to leave a lasting contribution to global health. Jean Marie's story reflects the transformative power of education. Through the DAFI Scholarship, talented young refugees are allowed to pursue higher education, develop their skills, and become professionals who contribute meaningfully to the communities they call home.
For Caritas Czech Republic, stories like Jean Marie's demonstrate how investing in education creates opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom—building stronger livelihoods, healthier communities, and hope for the future.
