Sam & Marc’s Story
Sam Johnson: Former Refugee Opens Door of Hope to Others
Sam Johnson
Founder and President
In 1998, when he was just nine years old, Sam Johnson watched from a hilltop as his village burned. Somewhere below lay the body of his father—one of countless victims of the rebel violence sweeping across Liberia. His mother gathered her five young children and fled into the forest. Traveling only at night to avoid roaming militias, she led them north in search of safety.
The Johnsons were among the fortunate few. They reached the U.N. refugee camp at Nzérékoré, in southern Guinea, where Sam, his mother, and his siblings spent the next eight years living in a tent—surviving on a single daily ration and clinging to hope for deliverance.
In February 2007, tragedy struck again when their mother passed away, just one month before the Office of the U.N. The High Commissioner for Refugees relocated the children to Clarkston, Georgia, east of Atlanta. With support from New American Pathways, Trinity Presbyterian Church, and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, the Johnsons began building a new life.
That summer, a team of teachers and parent volunteers provided intensive tutoring in English, math, and science. In August 2007, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School enrolled the four school-aged children—Helena, twins Sam and Kartee, and Elizabeth. It was their very first time attending school.
Sam quickly proved himself. He graduated from high school in 2009 and went on to Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He immersed himself in academics, even giving up soccer—a sport he loved and excelled at—so he could focus on his studies. “I wanted to learn everything,” he recalls. “Like when you don’t have food, I was craving education.”
By 2013, Sam had completed an extraordinary journey at Mercer, graduating with quadruple majors in Political Science, International Relations, Women’s and Gender Studies, and French. His next step was a dream he had carried since boarding the plane from Conakry six years earlier: returning to the refugee camp where he grew up to help those who had been left behind.
“I kept my dream alive and saved money all through college,” Sam says. “I worked summers and did work-study, and by the time I graduated, I had about $2,000 to start with.” After sharing his vision with faculty and friends, donations brought his total to more than $5,000.
Today, Sam lives and works full time in Nzérékoré with Home of Hope, the orphanage he founded. He remains deeply committed to improving the lives of marginalized children and strengthening his community. Sam is also happily married to Agathe, and together they are raising their two children, John and Elizabeth.
The First of Many: Marc's Journey to Graduation
At My Vision and Home of Hope, we often talk about the power of education to change a life. Today, we are celebrating a milestone that reminds us why this work matters—and what is possible when a child is given an opportunity.
Kpoghomou Cécé Marc is the very first child ever supported by My Vision and Home of Hope. Today, he is also the first student in our program to earn a university degree.
Born in N’Zérékoré, Guinea, Marc lost his father before his first birthday. Raised by his devoted mother, he grew up facing significant financial challenges. Yet despite the hardships, his mother never stopped believing in her son's potential. She worked tirelessly through small business activities and other income-generating efforts to provide for her family and keep hope alive for a brighter future.
When our founder, Samuel Johnson, learned of Marc's circumstances through a family connection, he saw not only a child in need but a young life filled with promise. When My Vision and Home of Hope was established, Marc became the very first child to receive support.
What began as sponsorship for a secondary school student became a years-long investment in a young man's future. Through the generosity of donors and supporters, Marc was able to continue his education, pursue his dreams, and overcome obstacles that might otherwise have ended his academic journey.
Today, Marc has graduated from the University of N’Zérékoré with high honors, earning a degree in Physics with a specialization in Electronics.
For many students, a university diploma is a personal achievement. For Marc, it represents something even greater. It represents a mother’s sacrifices. It represents a community of supporters who believed in him. It represents doors opened, dreams realized, and a future forever changed.
But Marc's story doesn't end with graduation.
Grateful for the opportunities he received, Marc chose to give back. Since 2017, he has served as an active member of the My Vision and the Director of Home of Hope, helping care for, encourage, and mentor vulnerable children who now face many of the same challenges he once did.
Reflecting on his journey, Marc shares that growing up without a father gave him a deep understanding of the struggles many children experience. Because someone invested in him, he now feels called to invest in others. He firmly believes that education remains one of the most powerful tools for breaking cycles of poverty and creating lasting change.
Marc's story is more than a success story—it is a testimony to what can happen when compassion meets opportunity.
From the first child supported by My Vision and Home of Hope, to the first university graduate in our program, and now Director of Home of Hope, Marc embodies the long-term impact of your generosity.
To every donor, sponsor, volunteer, and friend who has walked alongside us over the years: thank you. Your support did more than help a child attend school. It helped shape a leader, a mentor, and a living example of hope.
Marc is the first.
But he will not be the last.
His journey is a glimpse of what is possible for every child whose life is touched by My Vision and Home of Hope.
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