Mariam

I am Mariam (name changed for safety) and I live in Mali with my parents and six siblings, of which I am the middle. Much of my childhood was spent living in the village with my grandmother; she was like a mother to me. I was greatly impacted by her life and death and struggled as I transitioned back into my parents’ home in the city. My pastor’s wife introduced me to Young Life when I was in high school, where my faith flourished in a community of friendship and support. The loss of my father's job gave me the courage to open a small business to help my family, resulting in a strong work ethic and the confidence to pursue a college education in human resource management at a local university. I hope to contribute strong leadership skills and provide opportunities for employment to young people in my community. With the support of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, I will be the first person in my family to graduate from university.