My name is Ana and I am a Senegalese woman who has lived most of my life in the rainforest. My family was very traditional, so I was raised to be respectful and modest, but also curious about the world around me. As a child, I was always fascinated by the animals that lived in our forest, especially the chimpanzees.
One day, while exploring the forest with some friends, we stumbled upon a group of chimpanzees. They were intrigued by us and started following us around, playing with us and even sharing food with us. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to study these amazing creatures and learn everything I could about them.
So, I moved away from home and went to university where I studied animal behavior and conservation biology. I spent years in the field studying chimpanzees and other animals, but I always felt like there was something missing in my life. That's when I realized that what I really wanted was a family of my own.
I met my partner, who was also a scientist studying primates, and we fell in love. We decided to start a family together and now we have a beautiful little girl who is the light of our lives. She has already shown such an interest in animals and nature, just like her mommy.
Even though my work as a scientist takes me away from home sometimes, I know that I am doing what I love and that I have a wonderful family to come back to. I am grateful for every moment of my life, even the challenging ones because they have made me who I am today.