STUDENT PROFILE
“I managed to create safe spaces where we could talk about anything, without feeling judged, or try different things with my friends. This was a truly enriching experience for me, and I got to have serious conversations about race, sustainability and gender.”
RUFARO I am Rufaro Russell Gamariel, a UWC Atlantic Class of 2021 alum. I am currently studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester in New York. I come from the City of Kings and Queens (Kontuthu Ziyathunqa) which is the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
I applied to the UWC movement through my National Committee in Zimbabwe because I wanted an education that would explore and support my different capabilities. I thought that the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was a very rigorous curriculum which, combined with the holistic experience that UWC offers, would shape me into a much more all-round individual. I am very proud to say that I graduated from the college after being challenged in ways that had me grow me into a responsible, aware and confident individual.
I managed to create safe spaces where we could talk about anything, without feeling judged, or try different things with my friends. This was a truly enriching experience for me, and I got to have serious conversations about race, sustainability and gender. Being around the Afro-Caribbean community at UWC Atlantic was a particular highlight during my time there - we danced, we questioned many things, we listened to music, and we cooked together. All in all, I got to make some really meaningful connections with friends from all over the world.
My time at UWC Atlantic College was a very transformative experience. I liked how diverse the community was - the stories other students shared were enriching and the different foods we had there were delicious. My time as the Wellbeing Council co-chair challenged my leadership and organisational skills like never before. I worked with a range of people - from the students to staff members - and I got to learn about the different aspects of wellbeing. I come from a place where mental health does not exist and disabilities are often seen as inabilities, but the community at the college changed that for me.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pestalozzi International Foundation and the UWC Atlantic supporters who have worked to make my time, and that of the other students at UWC, an amazing one. I would also like to encourage other people who can donate to do so and help make education, as the UWC mission says, “a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.”
Right: Rufaro Gamariel and Dechen Chokey, Pestalozzi International Foundation supported students
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