From Poverty To Harvard: Man Shares His Inspiring Story Through A Viral Tweet

• Desmond Jumbam grew up poor in Cameroon.
• Through the hard work of his parents and his own efforts, he managed to reach his goals and show anything is possible for the determined.

At only 27 years old, Desmond Jumbam has become an inspiration to many. While his long story of struggle began many years ago, a recent viral tweet shed light on how far he has come since.

You see, Desmond, who is currently Operation Smile’s health policy consultant, has a biological sciences degree from Taylor University and a global health Masters of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame. On top of that, he worked for 3 years as a research assistant, health policy assistant, and project coordinator for the Program in Gloal Surgery and Social Change at the Harvard Medical School.

Wth so much achievement at such a young age, many have been surprised to learn that Desmond’s early years have been filled with great difficulty.

In his tweet, he posted a picture of their humble home in Yaoundé, Cameroon.where he lived with his family along with his Harvard ID.

How it started How it's going pic.twitter.com/ciVb924eQR

— Tanko 🇨🇲🇬🇭 (@desmondtanko) October 11, 2020

In a LadBible interview, Desmond reflected:

“As the first photo in the tweet implies, I grew up in a poor family in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon. My single mother worked tirelessly as a cleaner, seamstress and cook for a missionary organization to send me to primary and secondary school in Yaoundé.

“It was not always easy but she and my father sacrificed a lot to ensure that I got the best education. In 2010, I travelled to the United States for college at a community college with enough tuition for one semester. My father and mother took a huge loan for that.”

As of this writing, the said tweet has received over 2.5 million likes.

Desmond shared:

“I have been moved and encouraged by the kind messages that I have received from millions of people online. Millions have sent messages of support and amazement at this accomplishment. Others have shared their own inspiring stories.”

This tweet is incomplete without acknowledging the many people who believed in me, and made sacrifices to get me to where I am; my mom, dad, aunties and uncles, family, friends, teachers, college professors, even strangers. Long list. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 I have a responsibility to pass it on.

— Tanko 🇨🇲🇬🇭 (@desmondtanko) October 11, 2020

Additionallly, there are also those netizens who just had to comment abut his nails.

“I have also been amused by some of the comments, particularly those focused on my unkempt thumbnail. One comment with thousands of likes advised me to stop biting my nails. I found this particularly amusing,” said Desmond.

Asked for his advice to others, Desmond would go on saying:

“I will avoid cliched advice like ‘don’t give up’ and ‘follow your dreams’. At the risk of sounding pessimistic, I would advise anyone with big dreams to expect and anticipate severe adversity ahead.

“By my estimation, everyone faces some kind of adversity in getting to their goals and dreams but the cards are especially stacked against those from disenfranchised poor communities. I was one of these children. I hope that my story will inspire children from poor backgrounds like mine to know that despite the severe adversities ahead, it is completely possible to achieve the dreams which may seem beyond their reach.”

He likewise added:

“It is also very important to work hard and work smart. Unfortunately for those from disenfranchised communities, they will need to work extra hard to overcome those obstacles. But as my story shows, it’s entirely possible.

“I would also advise you to surround yourself with friends who believe in your dreams, who inspire you and want the best for you.”