Jaminatu

Jaminatu is a courageous young woman from Kenema, Sierra Leone. She shares that her “childhood was a time of loneliness and she often felt isolated from the opportunity for friends by the poverty her family faced.” Her father had no job and they were barely living on her mother's petty trading. Matters only became more dire upon her father's passing when she was fourteen years old.

After her father’s death, Jaminatu was desperate for a path through the grief and trials in her life. In church, she heard about Jesus’ sacrificial love and realized for the first time the invitation to full life in relationship with God. Jaminatu reflects, “I learned to trust that God will make a way for me.” Later, she saw the ministry vision of Young Life and the impact on the youth in her community and dove into becoming an essential leader in her neighborhood, eager to share the good news.

A self-motivated and unassuming student, Jaminatu is a quick learner who is eager to learn new things. As a Developing Global Leader, she is studying nutrition and dietetics at Eastern Technical University. She shares, “I hope to help impact society by advising community members on their daily eating habits and proper nutrition in order to reduce their risk of disease and problems due to poor health. Jaminatu will be the first in her family to graduate from university.