A phone call with my Congolese grandfather sparked my interest in African governance. The level of poverty he experiences illustrates thatthe fact that political regimes in Africa continue to undermine the potential for development and a stable civil society. Because of the social and political issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, my parents moved to South Africa to seek opportunities. Being born in South Africa, I had a modest understanding of issues in the Congo. After my parents and I immigrated to the United States, where I later became a naturalized citizen, I became intrigued with governance in the Congo, which led to my undergraduate studies of International Affairs at the Eastern Michigan University.
At the beginning of my sophomore year, I was admitted to both the EMU HonorsHonor's College and the McNair ScholarsScholar's Program, so I embarked on research to expand my knowledge of comparative studies. In my first research paper,; “Corruption in the Congolese Government Affecting Congolese Students,” I examined the role of governance in the Congo and explored how it impacted the educational system. In this research, I found the weak political structure of the Congolese government which contributed to inadequate social services, in the educational sector.