When she came to the United States, Nanah Jalloh missed everything about her home country. She hopes to be able to return to her beloved Sierra Leone.

Nanah was born in the West African country of Sierra Leone. For most of her early childhood, she was raised by her father after her mother immigrated to the United States when Nanah was only a year old. In Sierra Leone, Nanah went to school and had many friends; she loved her life there. When was twelve years old, her father informed her that she would be moving to the United States to live with her mother for a while.

Nanah went with her father to the American embassy in Senegal and retrieved her visa. Although she desperately wanted to stay with her father, she went to live with her mother in Minnesota. Nanah faced a difficult transition when she first arrived. She kept quiet in school, hated the cold weather, and missed her father. Over time, she grew to make the most of her life here.

Since then, Nanah’s life has flourished. She joined her school’s track team, became a member of student council, and made many good friends. She currently attends Wellstone International High School in Minneapolis. After high school, Nanah plans on graduating from college and make her family proud.