Tenin was born in 2002 and is the second of seven children. She lives in a small rural village in West Africa. Her parents are both still living, but her father is elderly and no longer able to work in the fields. The family survives through subsistence farming, planting crops such as corn, millet, and sesame.

Tenin attended school through the 10th grade. However, after several attempts to pass a required standardized test, she was unable to continue her studies and eventually left school.

Tenin is eager to gain skills that will allow her to support herself and help her family. This makes her an excellent candidate for the Girls Training Center. At the center she will learn practical, marketable skills such as sewing, traditional weaving, gardening, and animal husbandry.

The training program lasts two years, and the center is residential, allowing the young women to focus fully on learning skills that will prepare them for a more stable future.