Student Success Stories!
The reward of investing in Aid, Restoration, & Sustainability is a loved life that has been touched & transformed by Jesus - we celebrate with God the triumph of His heart in having the service for children see them through successfully to graduation & moving on to be a blessing in their world & calling, having left the days of limited opportunities behind! Their testimonies will change their world (Rev 12:11)
Graduated & Influencing Their World!
Mentor Leaders is engaged in global and community partnerships to bring aid, restoration, and sustainability to
both the physical and spiritual needs of the people we serve.
Kanlabe Nakoute
Major: Nursing
Kanlabe’s Story (see our 2024 impact report (p. 6) for his full story!): Growing up curious but limited by village life, Kanlabe saw little hope. Sponsors’ love gave him belief, success in school, & a passion to help. Called by God, he pursued medicine. With joy & pride, he earned his degree—but instead of chasing bigger cities & higher pay, he returned to his village to serve. “This is where I’m needed. This is where I belong.” His servant leadership shows true greatness—like Jesus, he came to serve, saving lives in love (1 Cor. 16:14).
Namebeligue Liebe (Mariam)
Major: Pharmacy (Graduated March 22nd, 2025)
Liebe’s Story: Liebe joined Mentor Leaders academy as a child, having met David & she remembers the opening of the school & the chance it offered to help children, including orphaned children. Having heard the Gospel, she chose to receive Jesus (having come from a Muslim family)! She loved chemistry, & for this reason chose to be a Pharmacy major. She’s grateful to Mentor Leaders & even decided to work for our clinic as the resident Pharmacist! (see her tell her story on the day she graduated here!)
Yendouboame Kombate
Major: Human Resources (Graduated October, 2025)
Yendoubame’s Story: When Yendouboame was a little girl, she remembers her parents putting her into the Mentor Leaders academy. She’d seen a foreigner serving the members of the village, even humbling himself by sleeping in the huts. At the academy, she gave her life to Jesus after hearing the Gospel. There she learned to love the law for its fairness & need to treat all people by the same reasonable st&ards. She appreciates Mentor Leaders & the chance it’s given her to pursue the academic achievements she dreams of, & has asked to help our school where she grew up! She’s been given the position of Vice Director now, & serves over 600 children & staff. Yendouboame still dreams of even more of the good future & good hope that her good God has given to her, including starting a family, as she gives back as an empowered daughter of God, who’s left her days of poverty behind for good.
Current Students in University:
Yalbondja MIADOU (Alex)
Major: Professional License
David first encountered Mentor Leaders in 2009, when David & a team visited his village of Gbantchal. At just eight years old, he received the New Testament, heard the Gospel, & began following Jesus! In 2016, he officially joined the Mentor Leaders program, which greatly shaped his life & education. Inspired by both faith & the needs of his community, David chose to pursue a career in pharmacy after high school, recognizing the shortage of healthcare professionals in his village. His goal is to use his training to serve others with skill, compassion, & patience, while helping Mentor Leaders continue its mission. Thanks to the support of Mentor Leaders, David has been able to pursue his studies, grow in faith, & prepare for a future of service & impact.
Arzoume Bankongue (Joel)
Major: Professional License (Expected Graduation: Feb 2026)
Joel grew up in a family devoted to animism & faced many traditional struggles. He experienced the heartbreaking loss of his sister & father before they knew Christ. Everything changed when missionaries arrived in his village, preaching the Good News. Joel & his family received Jesus as Savior, bringing hope & transformation that reshaped their lives. He still remembers the first time missionaries came — the first white visitors he’d ever seen. Their kindness, gifts, & youth gatherings created lasting memories & drew him closer to Christ (& the Mentor Leaders community). Passionate about science & math, Joel pursued the “D series” in school & dreams of becoming an accountant — either working with an organization or creating his own firm. Mentor Leaders has been essential in Joel’s journey, both spiritually & academically — introducing him to Christ & providing the support needed to continue his education.
Issa Kagnogou
Major: Professional License (Expected Graduation: 2026)
Choosing Christ as Savior transformed Issa’s life — forgiving his sins & filling him with intelligence, wisdom, & perseverance. His first memory of Mentor Leaders Academy was as a child, when missionaries came to share the Gospel, pray in church, & even play games with the children. He especially remembers meeting David, our founder—the first white man he had ever seen in his village—who shook his hand, even kissing him on the head (in a fatherly manner), & later helping connect sponsoring Issa in school. History became his favorite subject, giving him insight into past events & their consequences to help build a better future. His dream is to serve with Mentor Leaders—meeting needs, spreading the Good News, & promoting well-being in his community. Issa credits Jesus with using Mentor Leaders to shape who he is today, giving him both faith & opportunity to pursue his goals with confidence.
Kolani Kombaté
Major: Professional License (Graduation: Aug, 2026)
Kombate chose Jesus Christ as his Savior in 2012 after hearing the Good News through Mentor Leaders. His life was deeply impacted when David & a missionary team first visited his village in 2009, bringing hope, education, a church, & clean water through a drilled well (this story is very exciting because we had only 1 chance & funds to drill the well, & God graciously gave a missionary the word of knowledge exactly where to drill!). These changes inspired him to follow Christ, serve others, & grow in faith. He fondly remembers David’s encouragement, prayers, & advice, which motivated him to pursue education & dream of making a difference. His favorite subject is English because it allows him to connect globally & prepare for future opportunities. With a lifelong passion for helping others achieve health, Kombate trained in physical therapy. By God’s grace, he now seeks to use his skills to improve lives, strengthen Mentor Leaders Academy, & share the Gospel with his community.
Tiébimpo SANGBANDJA (David)
Major: Professional License (Expected Graduation: 2028)
From childhood, he was introduced to Jesus by his parents, grew up in the church, & later confessed his faith personally. His first experience with Mentor Leaders Academy was celebrating when the first class earned their baccalaureate — a moment that inspired him deeply. Passionate about learning, his favorite subject has always been English, chosen for the global reach & opportunities to connect across cultures. He dreams of traveling to English-speaking countries for future business endeavors. David’s goals are to succeed through hard work, become a role model for the next generation, & help others grow in their own businesses while strengthening MLA’s impact. Through Mentor Leaders Academy, he has learned not only education & life skills but also the importance of faith, integrity, relationships, & above all, excellence.
Sakabiè KoMBATE (Samuel)
Major: Commercial Marketing Management (Expected Graduation: 2028)
He thanks the Lord for his life & for the ministry of Mentor Leaders Academy. Growing up in a village where animism was the only religion, he first encountered MLA in 2010 while in CE1 class. By 2011, he began attending church & received Christ as Savior, even though it took years for his parents to accept his decision. He remembers those early days clearly: straw huts & straw toilets, yet also the gift of healthy food, vitamins, & the example of love & acceptance that MLA brought. His favorite subject throughout school was English, & with our support, he achieved his dream of learning to speak it. His goals are to succeed in university, build a professional career, lead well, serve Mentor Leaders faithfully, advance the Gospel, & positively impact his community. He credits ML with shaping his values, providing quality education, & giving him the opportunity to pursue his calling. He is deeply grateful to everyone who supports Mentor Leader’s mission.
Tchabatié Nakoute (Mathias)
Major: Professional License (Expected Graduation: 2028)
Matthias received Christ when missionaries first came to Gbantchal in 2009. Though his parents practiced animism, he witnessed God’s power firsthand when his uncle was miraculously healed after prayer. From that day, he gave his life to Jesus. The arrival of Mentor Leaders opened opportunities he had never imagined—school, clean water, healthcare, development, & most importantly, the Gospel. His favorite subject is English, & he once dreamed of becoming a doctor. Today, his goal is to complete his training, contribute to the growth of Mentor Leaders, & help bring lasting development to his community. He is grateful for the way Mentor Leaders has shaped his life, providing education, hope, & a future he can now use to serve others.