Hometown Season 7, Episode 4: An Interview with Mariti Zirarusha

Meet Mariti Zirarusha, a high school student who now lives in Tucson, Arizona. This congenial young man also goes by “Martin,” a name that is easier for English speakers to say and remember. Mariti and his family are Congolese. Having been forced by war and violence to leave their homeland when he was very young, they then lived for 14 years in Kyangwali Refugee Camp in Uganda.  

Growing up at Kyangwali camp, Mariti made the best of it: helping his family grow cassava, maize and beans in a small garden plot, speaking Swahili and Kinyarwanda with family and friends, excelling in his classes and participating in the debate club (in English) at school.  

In 2023, Mariti and his family were, as he says, “by the grace of God” finally granted refugee status and offered the chance to resettle in the U.S. The family of ten — father, mother, three sons, three daughters, and two grandchildren — flew from Uganda to Arizona, by way of multiple stops. Arriving dazed and exhausted in Tucson where they knew no one, they began a new chapter in their lives.  

To hear about this experience from the perspective of a bright and soft-spoken teenager is to be reminded of what it means to feel at home:  knowing that you and your loved ones are safe, that you can go to sleep and be confident of waking up in peace, that you will not go hungry, and that there are people around you whose help and friendship you can count on. 

Talking with Mariti about his years in Uganda and his experiences since arriving in Tucson led us to discover many shared enthusiasms, including the delights of eating pizza, playing in the snow for the first time, and the possibilities of self-expression when you no longer have to wear a uniform to school.   

Mariti is quick to praise those who have made it easier for him and his family to adapt to life in Tucson: the local non-profit organization that furnished their apartment and helped his parents and older siblings find jobs, the neighbors who came to visit and took them to African markets, the teachers and classmates who applauded when Mariti started to speak more freely at school.

Most of all, Mariti is grateful for the chance to participate in a unique program for young newcomers, the Refugee Youth Mentorship Program, run by Melissa Benvegno-Bryant at Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (one of EMM’s affiliate organizations). Through this program, Mariti and other youth come together regularly to work on skills needed for integration and independence (speaking English, learning to drive and to manage their money, discerning educational and career pathways). The program also enables them to build friendships with each other and to discover and enjoy the natural beauty and culture of Tucson and Arizona – through trips to parks, rodeos, and other sites. As Mariti says, “It’s really brilliant!” 

Listen in as Mariti shares the challenges and joys of his journey so far. We have no doubt that you will be the better for having heard his story, his hopes for the future, his gentle laughter, and his deep appreciation for all of the things and each of the people who help him feel at home. 

You can read a transcript of our conversation with Mariti here.