The Heart of Rocking Resilience™: My Story
“The essence of you cannot be destroyed.”
— *My Mother*
To me, resilience is not merely about bouncing back—it’s about tapping into the unyielding strength within, the core essence that guides our lives, no matter what.
My journey begins in the shantytowns of Sudan. At just four years old, my world was shattered by the sudden passing of my father. The void left behind was profound, but within this emptiness, I began to understand the true meaning of resilience—a strength that would define my path.
My mother, faced with raising me and my four siblings alone, made a courageous choice that would change our lives. Rejecting cultural norms and expectations, she chose dignity over the tradition of living under my father's brother's roof, a household shared with his multiple wives. Instead, she moved us to a run-down shantytown, where the struggles of daily life were immense and relentless.
While grappling with our new reality and struggling to make sense of my loss and the world around me, I discovered my inner voice at the age of five. It was then that I first felt the power of resilience.
Even as a small child, I was determined to emulate my mother’s unbreakable spirit. At just five, I began helping her sell vegetables in the shantytown—a small act that ignited my entrepreneurial spirit and taught me the real meaning of responsibility and service. By six, I found myself advocating for the needs of children in my community—a clear sign of the activism and leadership that would later shape my life.