From Former Refugee to Travel Fundi

Lila Yohannes was born in Asmara, Eritrea, where she had a wonderful early childhood. With her father having a ministerial position with the government and her mother working in banking, she enjoyed a very comfortable upbringing. All of that changed when she became a child refugee at the age of six. The war between the Eritrean freedom movement and the Ethiopian government escalated and Lila’s entire family was forced to flee Eritrea to Sudan to escape possible persecution, and ultimately the horrific fate she witnessed befalling other Eritrean families. After residing in Sudan for about nine months, Lila’s family moved to Nigeria, where they remained for a few years before migrating to Canada and settling there. After the passing of her brother, she found herself in need of a fresh start to aid her in healing and handling her grief; she moved to the US, where she still resides today. During the time Lila spent living in Nigeria, she experienced international trips that would set the stage for her to become a world traveler and fuel her love of exploration. Once her family was settled in the West African nation, her parents made every effort to bring back a sense of normalcy and the carefree childhood Lila and her siblings had enjoyed in Eritrea.

SOURCE: TRAVEL NOIRE