Siala Angèle

My name is Siala Angèle, commonly called Angele. I am the eldest child of my mother and the fourth child of my father. I live in Bonoua, Cote D'Ivoire, with my father and his other family after separating from my mother. My father is a strict and disciplined parent, who growing up did everything he could to ensure we had the best education in life. However, the struggle began when he lost his job and couldn't get another job to support us. I was contacted by a Young Life volunteer leader, who came to our school to do contact work, and they invited me to camp. I was a Christian by then because I am from a Christian family, but when I went to the camp, I was amazed by the way kids are treated in Young Life. The message and everything else are completely different than anything I had ever experienced. I was touched by the message and how the leaders were humble and showing love to every kid. I knew from that time that I would like to show the same and even more love to other kids, so I opted to be trained as a Young Life Leader. The opportunity to become a Developing Global Leader came to me and my family as a surprise; we were not expecting it and didn't even know of such opportunities in Young Life. Attending the University Institute in Abidjan to study finance is a dream come true for me, and I am trusting God to grant me the wisdom I need to go through successfully. I will be the first in my family to graduate from university.