STRUGGLED MY WHOLE LIFE AS A CHILD

Aninho, a young boy born into a loving family in the town of Daga, begins his journey amidst the turmoil of war and conflict. His parents, Félicité and Pere Jacob, are well-known for their humanitarian efforts in helping others during difficult times, particularly in southern Chad and northern Central African Republic. This spirit of generosity is embodied in their institution's slogan, "NDA ADOUM NDA SEY," which means "strike them so that I may hit them with you."

In 2004, the conflict between the rebels and the country's military forces began early one morning and resulted in the tragic loss of five members of Aninho's family. He and his family were forced to flee, running through the woods for two days to reach the river's mouth. They were able to cross the river and the border into Chad with the help of a Chadian pirogue. This traumatic experience shaped Aninho's understanding of the fragility of life and the importance of ethical decision-making.

After spending six months in a hamlet in MABO and three weeks in a refugee camp in AMBOKO, Aninho and his family were transferred to the GONDJE refugee camp. It was here that Aninho's leadership skills began to flourish as he worked with community groups to establish a better environment for young people and to bring an end to the conflict. He also became involved in sports, captaining his football team with the goal of contributing to the growth of the teams and providing support for others in the community.

In 2012, Aninho's father applied for their family to move to the United States. The relocation process was long and difficult, taking six years to complete. Aninho's arrival in the United States was a culture shock, as he was not used to seeing people sleeping on the streets and had previously believed that Americans did not have to work to make money.

Despite the challenges, Aninho persevered and completed his baccalaureate in 2016-2017 while still in the refugee camp. He was even awarded a university scholarship for 2017-2018, but due to a strike in Chad's universities at the time, he was unable to utilize it. He finally arrived in the United States in 2018 and is now determined to use his experiences and education to start companies and provide jobs for young, unemployed people, particularly those in need.