Meet Annick Thiombiano

We recently connected with Annick Thiombiano and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Annick , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I found my purpose in pain. Going through my deepest pain, sitting with it, feeling every bit of it, and then accepting it allowed me to find my purpose in life.

At fifteen years old, I lived with my dad and stepmom. I had a biological mom and a stepmom, but my dad would not allow me to see them often. Sometimes, I was locked in the house alone, creating conversations with the rain, the wind, and the soil. I had one stepbrother and one stepsister from my dad’s side, but I felt different in the way my dad treated them compared to me. I felt unloved, unwanted, not good enough, and alone. This feeling grew when my dad got married, and my siblings were invited to the wedding, but not me.

One particular period would change my life. This was one of the hardest and most painful times of my life. I was frequently punished physically and emotionally for things I believed I did not do by the person I loved the most: my dad. Walking two hours to school and back home was part of the punishment. Continuously hearing my dad tell me he would kill me was haunting. Feeling unloved, alone, and hopeless, I decided to commit suicide by taking medication. I swallowed a lot of pills, felt dizzy for some time, and vomited. The following day, I decided to try again, increasing the quantity of medication, but the same thing happened. Then, I decided to try once more, but I was interrupted by a voice that shouted to call my mom.

After calling my mom, I realized that I was not alone and that I had people who loved me. At that moment, I decided I would not kill myself but would live under one condition: to live happily. To live happily, I decided to accept the pain I was going through, to accept the fact that I did not feel loved by my dad, but to live happily anyway. This decision changed my life. I decided I was not interested in living unless it was a happy life. To truly be happy, I decided to accept all my pain and be happy regardless.

From that moment, I was happy doing nothing and anything, being loved or unloved. But I felt the need to strive for something. I did not find my purpose; I chose it. It was a decision I made. I decided that my purpose in life would be to positively impact the people around me because each time I did, it increased my feeling of happiness and made my life worth living.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I, the oldest of seven step-siblings, was born in Burkina Faso. I discovered my passion for positively impacting the lives of those around me and began volunteering at an orphanage at the age of 18 and took on leadership roles at AIESEC, an international youth leadership development platform.

In 2015, I was selected as a VAF (Voice Africa’s Future) champion in South Africa and named one of the 200 young leaders in the world by Women Deliver in New York. Throughout my journey, I initiated a range of projects, including environmental protection, leadership development, women empowerment, advocacy, and sexual and general education.

Driven by my passion for making a positive impact on as many people as possible, I created the “Make Them Strong” project, aimed at educating rural high school students in Burkina Faso on sexual and reproductive health and rights. To date, my project has trained over 3,300 young people in rural Burkina Faso and impacted more than 20,000 people.

Additionally, I pursued my interest in fashion as a model in New York City while seeking innovative and effective ways to reach higher goals for a better world. Embracing my creativity, I create art pieces with my hair and clothes, adding a touch of my African heritage to my work.

My ultimate goal is to have a positive impact on as many people as possible. Through my startup, Trading With Africa, I aim to break down barriers of borders, language, and ethnicity by facilitating trade between West Africa and the rest of the world, with the objective of creating a more just economic working environment for both continents and reducing the poverty level in west Africa.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The most important skill I have learned is :

Going through pain

Pain has always been regarded as a villain; we dislike it, we avoid it, and we even fear it. My experience taught me that pain is actually a love language. We all encounter pain in our lives, and we can choose how to respond to it.

There are those who get stuck in their pain. These people usually have bad things happen to them and do their best to avoid what causes them pain, sometimes even resorting to substances to numb it. They refuse to accept their pain, fighting against it and refusing to go through it. Why? Because it is indeed very painful. Unfortunately, by avoiding their pain, they get stuck and never discover the amazing person they could become if they embraced it.

Then there are those who go through their pain. These individuals also experience bad things, but they choose to sit with their pain, feeling it in its entirety. They accept it to the point of becoming numb to it. Once they reach this point, the pain is no longer painful. They achieve a higher level of being, allowing them to accept their pain and live life with painless pain. People who go through their pain thrive, experiencing real happiness and a higher level of existence.

I encourage you not to be afraid of your pain. Go through it, feel it, and let it burn you until you don’t feel any pain anymore. The reward of going through your pain is priceless.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

For the next 10 years, I am focused on discovering my potential while exploring my artistic side through my creations and new experiences. Additionally, I am dedicated to building and growing my startup with the goal of facilitating trade between West Africa and the rest of the world, thereby helping to lower poverty levels in West Africa.

If you share these objectives and can provide any support or guidance, I welcome you to reach out.

Contact Info:

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