Soumya Ait Hazem Boutin was born in the Atlas Mountains in the village of Armed, Morocco. Growing up, she faced the challenges of limited opportunities for girls and supported her brother Mohamed, who had clubfeet. When Soumya was five years old, Dr. Pier Boutin, an orthopedic surgeon from the United States, by chance visited their village and wanted to help Mohamed receive medical treatment in America, and their life-changing relationship began.

Soumya always knew she wanted more from life, and whenever Pier visited, Soumya was drawn to her and aspired to join her in the United States. In 2017, Pier offered to bring Soumya back to the U.S. with her to continue her education, which she eagerly accepted. This opportunity allowed Soumya to escape the traditional expectations of early marriage and limited schooling.

On June 13, 2018, Soumya was officially adopted by Dr. Pier Boutin. At the age of 16, she founded Soumya’s Journey, an organization dedicated to empowering the women and girls of the Atlas Mountains.

Soumya is currently a double major in political science and journalism and minoring in French at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Through her studies and the growth of Soumya’s Journey, she aims to create lasting change and empower the women and girls of the Atlas Mountains, ensuring they have access to education and opportunities for a better future.

My Life in Pictures

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2023