Birthday: July 30, 2005  Sponsorship #: 2025-00-124M

WILKENS is a 19-year-old student currently in the 11th grade at BGM High School. He was born in July 2005 and comes from the remote village of Boucandrice, nestled high in the mountains above  Galette-Chambon. He lives with his parents, two sisters, and two brothers. His family faces economic challenges, as his parents work as sharecroppers on a large mountain farm. They earn a modest living by keeping a portion of the crops they help harvest and selling it at local markets. Despite their hard work, it’s difficult to provide enough for their five children.

Every school day, Wilkens joins a group of students from Boucandrice who travel together to BGM schools. They leave early in the morning to reach school by 7:30 a.m. The school day is split: elementary students attend from 8 a.m. to noon while the high school students, including Wilkens, wait outside—studying, doing homework, or spending time with friends. In the afternoon, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., high school students attend classes while the younger children continue their studies and activities outside. After classes, the group makes the long journey back home to Boucandrice together.

Wilkens’ parents are grateful for the BGM sponsorship program, which has been a vital support for their children’s education. They believe strongly that education is the key to a better future and are hopeful that, through school, their children will have opportunities they themselves never had.

Wilkens is a bright and motivated young man. He enjoys playing soccer, spending time with friends, helping his parents in the garden, and attending church with his family. His favorite subject is social science, and he dreams of one day becoming a doctor—using his education to serve others and improve life in his community.