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Lives Less Ordinary
I cycled across Africa for a place at my dream university
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March 11, 2024
42 minutes
Available for over a year
A handwritten map is all Mamadou Barry had to guide him from Guinea to Egypt.
At the age of 24 he had reached a crossroads in his life. Having failed his final year secondary school exams five times in a row, he set his sights on a different type of education. Mamadou had heard about the prestigious Al Azhar University in Egypt, but could not afford a plane ticket. So he decided to set off on an epic adventure, travelling by bike, and leaving his home in Guinea with only $55, a small bag of clothes and tools, and a map he had drawn himself.
Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Rob Wilson
Translator and interpreter: Olivier Weber
Voiceover artist: Gaïus Kowene
Archive was from the official YouTube channel for Will Smith