My Personal Experience

"My name is Sadiq, and I’m 17 years old. I come from a small village in Yobe. My life changed forever on the day Boko Haram attacked us.

It was early in the morning when we first heard the gunshots. At first, I thought it was thunder, but then I saw the smoke rising from the other end of the village. My heart sank. People were running and screaming, and I knew we had to leave.

The militants came in large numbers, shouting and shooting. They burned everything—the market, the houses, and even our school. I’ll never forget watching the flames consume the classrooms where I used to study with my friends. It felt like they were destroying not just the school but our dreams as well.

My family and I ran as fast as we could. We left everything behind—our home, our belongings, even the small farm that provided us food. We spent days walking, moving from one village to another, looking for safety. By the time we reached a place where we could rest, we had nothing left.

The nearest school to where we ended up is so far that it’s impossible for me to attend. I’ve been out of school ever since. Every day, I think about what I’ve lost—my education, my friends, my home. But I refuse to give up hope.

I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. Even now, that dream hasn’t changed. My village doesn’t have a proper clinic, and people suffer because they can’t get the medical care they need. I want to change that. I want to rebuild the healthcare system in my community and help people heal, not just their bodies but their spirits too.

Life has been hard, but I know I can’t let this tragedy define me. I survived for a reason, and I believe that reason is to make a difference. One day, I’ll wear that white coat and bring hope back to my people. This is my dream, and I won’t stop until it becomes my reality."