Youma

Youma, whose name has been changed for safety, is from a medium-sized city in Mali, but lives with her aunt in a large city while she pursues her studies. She grew up with her parents, brothers and sisters. One of her greatest childhood challenges was comparing herself to others and being afraid of their opinions. She also struggled with expressing herself and standing up in front of a crowd. Being involved in church and junior choir helped her overcome these fears and gave her the confidence to feel Jesus’ acceptance of her and, thus, love herself more.

Growing up in a Christian family, Youma met Jesus through Sunday school at her church. Her family prayed every night before going to sleep and read the Bible together. After her baptism, she began to understand the Lord, His Word, and His love for her even more. She got involved in Young Life through her aunt and became a volunteer leader, participating in camps and clubs. She has struggled inviting her friends to Young Life because some of them are skeptical; her prayer is that God would, one day, convince them to join in and hear about the love of God.

As a recipient of the Developing Global Leaders scholarship, Youma is studying medical biology at a local university. This degree will have a huge impact on her life because it will help her financially support herself and her family. She wants to use her education to promote health in her country. Her heart is to help the sick and train young girls and mothers on body hygiene and self-image. Ultimately, she wants to help young girls know their identity in Christ.