Nduku Louis Tebi: From Kidnapped Student to Peace Weaver.
"I was kidnapped by rebels and accused of going to school. That was my only crime. In that forest camp—and later when I wrestled with the guilt of wanting revenge—I discovered that only compassion can break the cycle of violence."
Educator, environmentalist, kanthari Fellow, and Young Global Changer Finalist, Nduku Louis Tebi transformed the trauma of captivity during Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis into a movement for youth peacebuilding and ecological regeneration.
Nduku Louis Tebi • Founder of Xhuma Africa, Educator & Global Peace Advocate.
Age 11
EARLY LOSS & RESOLVE
Lost his veterinary father; 6 of 10 siblings forced out of school
93 Days
2017 BLACKOUT & CRISIS
Internet shutdown, school boycotts & escalation of war
July 16, 2018
KIDNAPPED AT 6:30 AM
2 weeks chained in the rebel camp of the "Queen Mother"
45°C Heat
2019 GTC FIGUIL
Connected climate breakdown & Boko Haram recruitment
KEYNOTE DOCUMENTARY & SPEECH
Watch Louis Share His Story on the Global Stage
Hear directly from Nduku Louis Tebi on how surviving two weeks of torture in an armed forest camp in Bamenda inspired the creation of Xhuma Africa and the Center for Compassion.
Key Message: "Those young fighters holding rifles in the camp were not born monsters—they were traumatized youths whom society failed to reach in time."
INTERACTIVE BIOGRAPHICAL TIMELINE
Five Chapters That Forged Xhuma Africa
Select any chapter below to trace Louis’s journey from a childhood shaped by nature and loss to founding Xhuma Africa.
CHAPTER 01 • ROOTS, 10 SIBLINGS & A FATHER’S GIFT
A Veterinary Father’s Gift and the Pain of Losing Him at Age 11
Growing up in a lively household of ten siblings in the North-West Region of Cameroon, Louis’s bond with nature was nurtured by his father, a veterinary officer, who gifted him a rabbit, a dog, and a pig to raise. When Louis was just 11 years old, his father passed away. Plunged into severe financial hardship, six of his brothers were forced to drop out of school—planting in Louis an unshakeable determination to pursue education against all odds.
Presenting the Xhuma Model
Nduku Louis Tebi sharing how indigenous African wisdom and NVC heal conflict-hit communities.
Global Solutions Summit
Representing grassroots African peacebuilders and climate advocates on the international stage.
Young Global Changers
Recognized among the top 15 Young Global Changer Finalists for connecting peace and sustainability.
"My Only Crime Was Going to School. Today, We Build Sanctuaries of Peace."
Discover the full blueprint of the Xhuma Center for Compassion in Bamenda or explore our 8 core values.