Banner and his family, like many others in Nigeria, suffered extreme hardship at the hands of Boko Haram. The terrorist group killed Banner’s father and captured his mother and three siblings.
The captured family members managed to escape after several weeks and were joyfully reunited with their loved ones. But it was only a matter of time before they were attacked again. Banner, along with his mother and five brothers, escaped to another village.
Without a father to provide for him, Banner found a safe home at an orphanage in Jos, Nigeria. At the orphanage, he has the opportunity to learn a useful trade at SALT vocational classes. For Banner and the other students, life is a challenge. Many of their family members were killed in recent years during the Boko Haram violence. Today, many are left with no relatives or community to teach them skills and guide them through early adulthood.
At the vocational classes, Banner learned the skill of shoe making and repair. Knowing how to do something that could provide an income motivates him. “I want to start my shoe making business so I can take care of my mother,” Banner says.
As the students learn lifelong skills, they are also taught from God’s Word. Only eternity will reveal the impact this teaching has on these youth who have endured so much hardship. In a country familiar with violence, we pray that their zeal for learning will shine God’s light to their families and communities.
