From slavery to college educated and motivational speaker.
by Jacob Foko
She is originally from Cameroon. She is a survivor. She was a slave, a victim of human trafficking. She experienced slavery not in Cameroon, but in the United States, only 30 miles from our nation’s capitol.
At age 9 as she says on CNN on June 23, 2011, she came to the United States.
Evelyn Chumbow, a 26-year-old, full-time student at the University of Baltimore is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in community studies and civic engagement.
In November 1995, Evelyn was brought to this country by Ms. Theresa Mubang, a rich woman who proposed to the Chumbow family that she would adopt Evelyn and provide her a great education and a better life. Unfortunately, Ms. Mubang’s promises were empty. Instead Chumbow was abused.
“When I came To this country, I had a two-week break relaxing but right away I had to learn how to cook, and clean, changing diapers. I did not know how to cook, taking care of kids, they were a lot of things that my Traficant asked me to do that I did not know” says Chumbow. She was beaten. She did not go to school from the age of 9 until the age of 19: “The dream that my parents have for me, to be a lawyer or a doctor, did not work. When I was in Cameroon I was always saying that at the age of 25, I will have a degree, I will have a husband and two kids. I think that “Never plan your life. Always have a goal.”
Survivors of Slavery 