Irène

I come from a family of six children—two mothers, one father. After my one of my father’s wives passed away, he married my mother, and I became her eldest daughter. Sadly, he died when I was nearly two, leaving my pregnant mother to raise us alone in difficult circumstances. Though we were loved, life became hard. We faced rejection and mistreatment from some family members, but my mother stood strong. Despite poverty and long daily walks to school, we made it through. Glory to God.

In 2015, through a crusade, I met Jesus. A physics teacher had invited us often, and one day I went. That moment changed my life. I was baptized in 2016 and joined the worship team, laying the foundation for my faith. Young Life came to our community in 2018, and I was among the first to be trained. It transformed the way I saw ministry, teaching us to reach youth who felt distant from church—just as I once did. From that time forward, I’ve committed my life to prayer and Christ.

After high school, attending university became my dream—not only for myself, but to inspire others. As a DGL, I will study Organizational Management, becoming the first in my family to pursue higher education. My goal is to launch an organization that supports young people so they won’t have to give up on school early. I also hope to serve through Young Life College, reaching university students in need of love, hope, and the message of Christ.