May 20, 2021
Two Girls Who Survived the Boko Haram Kidnapping Just Graduated from College
Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu were among the 276 girls in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria, abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School on April 24, 2014.
Now they’ve graduated from Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, according to WFLA.
Rep. Fredericka Wilson (D-FL) visited the girls and offered them an opportunity to attend high school in America They agreed and received a scholarship to attend Southeastern University after moving to Virginia to embark up on their freshman year of high school. Bishara and Pogu later graduated from a high school in Oregon.
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“It was a lot of stress, crying, hard classes,” Pogu said to WFLA. “It was an opportunity we will forever be grateful for.”
In a column for The Guardian, columnist Akin Ojumu wrote that more than 100 of the Chibok girls remain missing. The girls left for the United sates thanks to the Virginia-based Jubilee Campaign, a human rights group that works to promote and protect vulnerable women and children from bodily harm and sexual exploitation. Particular attention is paid to human trafficking or modern slavery.
Bishara and Pogu did not give up on hope. Bishara earned her bachelor’s degree in social work. Pogu graduated with a legal studies degree and plans to attend law school, according to The Guardian.
The acutely distressing journey which began in Nigeria is even more inspiring, considering that the pair were two of just 57 girls who escaped by jumping out of the moving trucks, according to WFLA.
“I had to make the decision if I wanted to jump out and die or go with these people. My choices were die or go with them. Not knowing what they would do with me, I chose to die,” Bishara said.
Bishara added that she remembered making a deal with God about letting her live, WFLA also reported. Better days have arrived, as Bishara expressed on her Instagram account.
“Wow! Can’t believe we are now a college graduate!!! Congratulations to you @lydia_pogu so proud of you and all you have accomplished in the past 4 years! Love you and I am excited for our next steps in life 😍🙌🏾🎊🎉🥂, “ Bishara posted on her Instagram account.
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