Rachel was born in 2010. Her parents are subsistence farmers, and the family lives in a small rural village in West Africa where there is no electricity or running water.

Rachel is the fourth of eight children. Her family grows millet and corn to feed themselves and also raises cotton and sesame as cash crops. Like many children in the village, Rachel helps her family by working in her father’s fields.

Rachel attended school through the sixth grade. However, after she did not pass the standardized exam required to continue to seventh grade, her father withdrew her from school.

This year (2026–2027), Rachel has the opportunity to attend the Girls Training Center. At the center she will learn valuable life skills such as sewing and traditional weaving, along with gardening techniques and animal husbandry. These practical skills will give Rachel the ability to earn an income and build a more secure future.

Rachel is eager to learn and is thankful for this opportunity. The training she receives will not only help her become independent, but will also allow her to contribute to the well-being of her family.