Massadjamie was born in 2012 in a remote village in West Africa. Life in the West African culture is not easy at best but for Massadjamie the challenges are huge. He lived the typical life of a village boy until he was about 5 years old. He became very sick with high fevers. He survived the illness but was left blind as a result. He no longer is able to attend school. Many families would see such a child as a burden and not continue to care for a blind child. His parents do their best for Massadjamie but become discouraged.Their life is quite simple. There is no running water. Instead, each day someone must walk to the nearest well which is often more than 2-3 kilometers away to fetch water for the family. This is a very strenuous chore and takes up a great deal of time. Massadjamie cannot contribute to the family by helping with chores.His family grows their own food. Their main crop is corn but they also grow beans and peanuts. They also own a few chickens.