At 13, Nigerian immigrant faced homelessness; now he's an ICU nurse and mentor

Badaru’s story goes from a homeless teenager to a healthcare professional helping critically ill patients and now a mentor training the next generation of Rhode Island’s healthcare workforce. At 13, Usman Badaru arrived in Rhode Island from Nigeria with his father and older sister, expecting a new beginning but knowing little about how to navigate life in a new country. Instead, the family soon found themselves without a permanent home, relying on temporary shelter and help from local organisations. Decades later, Badaru works nights in the neuro ICU at Rhode Island Hospital, caring for critically ill patients and helping young people follow the same path into healthcare that changed his own life, states an online report by 10 WJAR.From uncertainty to a new directionAccording to the online report, Badaru's family settled in Providence after his father chose Rhode Island as their new home. Like many newly arrived families, they had limited knowledge of the systems surrounding housing, education and social services. For a short period, the family stayed at Crossroads, a Rhode Island organisation that provides support to people experiencing homelessness. There was even a brief stretch...