Smile of success: West African businessman Papis Camara owes his success to his strong family connections and early education at a special military high school.
Papis Camara
took his first steps at the tender age of 12 towards his current life as a
successful businessman working for L’Oreal - a world leader in beauty.
The
Senegal-born 34-year-old son of a judge, passed a gruelling test to study at a prestigious military high school, a long way
from his beloved family and home.
He had hoped
to study in Senegal but ended up in an exchange programme between two military groups,
which saw him leave home at 12 and study at the school situated on the Ivory
Coast.
“On average,
around 2000 kids in Senegal take the test and only 60 pass it,” he says.
But Papis
says the test sets children up for further study and provides the necessary
discipline for life through its military-style programme.
“I have
learned a lot from that experience and I believe I have become the man I am
today from having attended this military high school.”
His mother, a
retired midwife, did not find it easy to let her only son, the youngest of
four, go off to school at such a young age but he points out, even back then,
he wanted to learn from different cultures and build his life.
Family closeness: Papis taking time out with his mother Yacine Mane, a glorious 67-year-old.
“I was lucky
to have such understanding parents, as visiting was not easy for them (parents) and
three older sisters during that time, but nothing worthwhile comes easy,” Papis
says.
The
good-looking West African, who is now Key Account Manager for L’Oreal
Professionnel, currently based between Manchester and London, says he was often
a ‘model’ for his three sisters – Paris-based beauty business owner, Aminata,
teacher, Deguene and mother, Fifi, when practising their cosmetics skills and
calls it the, ‘chore to being the only guy in the family’.
He says he
has always loved fashion and with his business and marketing skills from a
business school in France, he became a good match for the international beauty
organisation over nine years ago in Paris and in that time, he has held five
positions - the current one for the past two months.
Family is
important to Papis, after his father passed away in 2004, Papis now has his
mother and numerous aunts and uncles left back home in Senegal.
He sees his
job as overseeing his mother’s welfare, for the remainder of her life, whom he
describes as, ‘the best mom on earth’.
“I want to
become more, so that I can give (to the family) more. They are my reasons why,”
he says.
Papis wants
to keep inspiring, motivating and mentoring people.
On a
personal note, he says he would love to share his successful life with someone
and have a family some day.
From a life
of making success happen for himself, his advice to anyone …
“Always
believe in yourself. Because the first person to believe in you, should be yourself.
Life is good and God is great!”
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