Alhagie’s Story

Alhagie Sillah and his family live in an MHP apartment in Wheaton. He was part of MHP’s Future Leaders of the World (FLOW) program. Alhagie recently spoke at MHP’s 2024 Norman Christeller Golf Classic, where he shared his journey from The Gambia, West Africa, to the U.S. He was born in The Gambia and moved to the U.S. at age three. While Alhagie cannot remember a lot about his early childhood in The Gambia, he and his family maintain a close connection to Africa. 

Alhagie and his family first lived in New York, and a few years later, they moved to Maryland. In eighth grade, they moved to Amherst Apartments, and Alhagie joined the MHP FLOW program. His two other brothers also joined an MHP Community Life after-school program. Before moving to Amherst, Alhagie’s family relocated frequently because they struggled to keep up with rent. He said his family is together now as both of his parents are working and thus able to afford rent. 

Alhagie highlighted the impact of MHP’s FLOW program, saying the opportunity offers free education, food, and events. He is a dedicated student who begins his school day at 5 a.m. Alhagie’s favorite class is math, something he said comes easily to him. “Last quarter, I had a 100% score,” he said. 

Alhagie likes his new community not only because he sees familiar faces, but also because of the proximity to public transport such as buses. “I always greet the bus drivers politely, saying good morning when I board and thank you when I get off. Kindness is a big thing to me. I think being kind is free. It doesn’t really cost anything to be kind. So, why not just do it? Plus, if you’re kind, you get kindness back. So, it’s a win-win for yourself and that person. I love that,” he said. 

Watch and learn more about Alhagie’s story in the video below.