This handsome young man is Ardjouma. He was born in 2015 in a small village in West Africa. He is the 4^th of six children in his family Though life was never easy, it became increasingly difficult after the death of his father a few years ago.

He and his family live near his father’s extended family. Their house is small and made with mud bricks and has a tin roof. There is no electricity or running water in his village. He and his siblings share the chores of fetching water from the village well, gathering firewood, doing laundry and working in the family fields in the summer. Their main crop is corn which is made into porridge-like food that is eaten daily. The climate is unforgiving. Some years there is an abundant harvest but most years they battle the heavy rains or droughts. When this happens they barely have enough food to last until the next growing season.

Ardjouma loves going to school and being with his friends. This year (2023-2024) he is in the third grade. His favorite thing to do when not in school is playing soccer with his friends.