The World We Share: Meet Boris

Boris’ journey from Congo Brazzaville to Senegal was far from straightforward. First, the recent school graduate from Pointe-Noire would have to try and find his way to higher education.

When he was still living with his parents, Boris was full of life. He has good memories from his days in Congo, especially of the holidays when his whole family would gather at his grandfather’s house.

Getting a visa: From Congo-Brazzaville to Senegal

Boris could’ve stayed home forever, but pursuing an education could be complicated. “After high school, I stayed in the country for two years. Then I was told that there were scholarships offered in Italy. I needed to learn the language and then pass some exams. So, I spent six months learning the language,” explained Boris.

Unfortunately, though he passed his entrance exams, Boris wasn’t able to get a visa. But he didn’t lose hope and soon found he had been accepted at a university in Poland. Once again, Boris was met with a challenge: the visa couldn’t be processed from Congo. He was given the option to travel to Senegal to request the visa at the embassy there, but in the end was told he couldn’t apply for that type of documentation as a Congolese in Senegal.

“Since I was already there, and with all the money we had spent, I decided that I should stay and settle. It must’ve been God’s will,” he said.

Settling in Senegal and joining Ria Money Transfer

After graduating he needed to become independent and find a job. He started working in a call center and met a Senegalese colleague. This colleague eventually got recruited by Ria and contacted Boris when she heard the company was looking for Italian speakers. Today, Boris is part of Ria’s Care team, one of the largest and most established teams within the company.

“We work in a great atmosphere at Ria. You learn about other cultures. It makes you want to travel and discover how things work elsewhere. Everyone also keeps telling me I should take them to discover Congo and my culture,” shared Boris.

Challenges, hardships and hopes

Though Boris has managed to make a home for himself in Senegal, not everything has been easy. During the pandemic, he received a call from home informing him that his brother had passed away. At the time, he didn’t have money to travel back, so he had no choice but to stay in Senegal.

That same year, his father suffered a stroke in December and also passed away. “Once again, I could only stay,” he said. “In my mind, I thought when I came back I would find everyone again just as I had left them.”

In this moment, Boris had to make a decision. Give up or stay committed to himself and his goals. “I hadn’t lost hope. I kept telling myself that if I’m suffering today, tomorrow will be better,” he shared.

Working hard and supporting his family

And so, Boris continued to work hard. Before joining Ria, he had been a beneficiary of our services. “Since 2003, my mother and her brother, my uncle, had been helping me. When I got here, they were sending money through another agency. At one point they started sending me money through Ria because the fees were more affordable,” he recalled.

Now, he’s fulfilling his dream of paying back the support his family offered him. His goal is to ensure they have everything they need to live happily and comfortably. “I think there is one common solution, no matter the story. Don’t lose hope, don’t give up. We fell, we got up, and we moved forward. Better days will come.”

Do you need to send money to or from Senegal or Congo-Brazzaville? You can use our web, app, or visit your nearest Ria location.