An orphan in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Amidu was the last to eat in the various families that took him in. They saw him more as a worker than a family member. So until he was nine years old, he spent his days tending goats—and not in school.
“I never for once dreamed of going to school,” Amidu says. “My only concern was getting enough food to survive for the next day.”
When Amidu first came to Children of the Nations, he was just trying to survive. He couldn’t even go to school.
But thanks to you, Amidu’s story doesn’t end there. Because of your support, he was given food, a home, and an education.
Now Amidu is thriving! He has a passion for music and technology. He’s already written an album of songs and when he was still in high school, he produced a music video. And thanks to your generosity and Amidu’s hard work, he has achieved something beyond his wildest dreams—attending college!
Amidu was thrilled to graduate from high school! But your generosity didn’t stop there.
“I was satisfied with just finishing high school. For me that was a great achievement. Nevertheless, Children of the Nations didn’t stop there.”
Your gifts make sure Amidu—and dozens of other students in Sierra Leone like him—can attend college.
Amidu is now the first Children of the Nations student enrolled in college in the US! He is attending Valencia College in Orlando and earning his associate’s degree in hospitality and tourism management. Eventually, he’ll transfer to the University of Central Florida for his bachelor’s degree in entertainment management.
Amidu received a warm welcome from COTN staff and volunteers when he arrived in Orlando for college.
“Things have been crazy busy,” Amidu says about his classes at Valencia. “[It’s] a lot of work, and the technology is just breathtaking. Classes are interesting as well as challenging because of the difference in culture and how we do things back home.”
After university, Amidu wants to start his own record label in Sierra Leone so he can give opportunities to young, up-and-coming artists. Thank you for giving Amidu the chance to make a huge difference in his country!
Amidu (in white) with his friends in Sierra Leone.
Amidu puts it best:
“I got on the plane and thought I was dreaming. How did I come from being a poor little boy in [Sierra Leone] to a student in the United States of America? Even if I had ten thousand tongues, it still would not be enough to thank God for Children of the Nations, for all the people He used to make this happen, and for His goodness in my life.”
Thank you for bringing Amidu out of poverty and providing him with the opportunity to attend university and pursue his dreams!