Aminata is a 22-year-old student nurse at the University Hospital of Bouaké. Her days are long and demanding, but she always starts her morning with a cold shower and a cup of Ivorian coffee before leaving the house. She usually leaves home at six o'clock to catch the first gbaka, because the hospital is on the other side of town. She is generally the first student to arrive at the ward.

During her shift, Aminata is often asked to take patients' temperatures, assist with dressings, or prepare medication trays. She sometimes has to deal with very difficult situations, such as comforting a frightened child or supporting a family through bad news. On those days, she occasionally feels overwhelmed, but she always reminds herself why she chose this career.

Aminata eats lunch at the hospital canteen every day. The food is sometimes repetitive, but she rarely complains — she knows that eating well is essential for a long shift. After lunch, she often reviews her medical notes for about thirty minutes to stay up to date with each patient's condition.

In the evenings, Aminata usually studies for two to three hours before bed. She seldom watches television during the week because she finds it distracting. However, at weekends, she occasionally goes to the market with her mother or meets friends from her neighbourhood in Bouaké.

Aminata has never regretted choosing nursing, even on the hardest days. She dreams of specialising in paediatrics and hopes to work in a modern clinic one day. Once a week, she calls her parents in Yamoussoukro to share her progress — a habit she has never given up, no matter how tired she is.