Bénit

I was born in the lively urban area of Burundi and am the third child in a family of five. Growing up, my parents gave me attention a bit later than my siblings, which made me feel especially loved. Despite that, I was very shy. I found it hard to speak to others or engage in conversation. Even when surrounded by people, I didn’t know how to share ideas or participate. This led many in my community to misunderstand me—they thought I was proud or unfriendly, and that made it hard to build friendships or connect well with others as a child.

In 2017, I gave my life to Jesus. One of the biggest changes I experienced was learning to forgive. Before, when someone hurt me, I would keep it in my heart for a long time until I had a chance to get back at them. But now, that has changed. I joined Young Life after a contact work meeting with one of the Young Life leaders, at the end of 2019. Young Life has helped me grow in faith, find community, and discover purpose.

As a Developing Global Leader, I’m pursuing a degree in Computer Science and will be the first person in my family to attend university. Now, I’m pursuing my education with the hope of becoming a strong leader who can serve both my family and my country. I want to use the knowledge I gain not only to prepare future leaders, but also to uplift others. Once I’ve completed my studies, I want to focus more deeply on developing leaders in meaningful ways, especially in strengthening male leadership for lasting impact making a difference in my community.