THE Rwandan civil war was one of the bloodiest in recent memory.

But for 23-year-old Clifford Twizeyemungu who escaped the horrors of the east African country, tragedy turned into the opportunity of a lifetime.

The big-hearted Thornton Heath resident has vowed to dedicate his life to helping devastated countries rebuild themselves since returning to Rwanda last year and seeing his mum for the first time in 16 years.

Speaking from his home in Gonville Road, the former Coulsdon High student said: "When I went back and saw my mum and my community I realised this was my path in life.

"As a student in Croydon I selfishly wanted to do a degree in languages and travel the world for fun. But when I went back to Rwanda and saw all these wonderful people involved in developing their war-torn country I felt a need to be a part of that."

Clifford was flown to the UK in 1999 after years of living in camps with his paternal aunt and her son .

The Croydon College media studies graduate said: "I remember the day war broke out in April 1994 – I was on my way to school and we were told to go home.

"Every day there were gun shots. I saw people lying dead in the road, or badly wounded."

The UN would regularly fly vulnerable children out of the country, and in 1999 Clifford and his cousin were chosen to make just such a trip and then placed in foster care.

Clifford, who moved from a foster home in Coulsdon to another in Thornton Heath, admits he had a hard time adjusting to life in Britain.

He has just returned from a ten-week volunteering project in Ghana and intends to study for a masters degree in international development.