with our ancestral blender granite stone, to get peanut butter. One day, she begged my dentist sister to make her teeth so she could enjoy chewing crunchy roasted peanut. My sister responded to her that my family is sending me to France to learn how to make teeth. On June 27, 1987, we hugged each other so deeply! A year later, I received a phone call in the middle of the night informing me that she had passed away. I was heartbroken! She was the legacy of our traditional culture; as late African Philosopher Senghor once said: “an old person who dies is a library that burns”. During my summer vacation in 1989, I pledged on her grave that because I wasn’t able to make her teeth as promised, I will make teeth for all people in the world to honor her. This was the starting point of my journey in finding the solution solve missing teeth on earth which becomes my calling! Today, there is My Dental Wig Company, My Dental Wig Foundation with the mission to raise money to provide teeth to people who cannot afford them.
Lydie NEVER GAVE UP
to solve missing teeth on earth . This has become my calling! Today, there is My Dental Wig Company, My Dental Wig Foundation with the mission to raise money to provide teeth to people who cannot afford them.
LEGEND: Were there other family members who encouraged you to pursue your passion?
LYDIE: Initially, I wanted to become either a Judge or a Surgeon. My dentist sister encouraged me to be a dental manufacturer instead. She told me to always keep in mind that, in reality, like drug companies, the dental manufacturer is, in fact, the central key in the dental industry, not the dentist. This has helped me to be able today to replace missing teeth without the dentist! My siblings and my children are very supportive. Today, I have no regrets about not being a Judge or Surgeon.
I’m the youngest child of 10 siblings of 3 wives. When I was 7 years old my dad went to the hospital because he was so sick. About 5 years later, in 1975, he passed away without saying good bye. However, he left an important message about me to my mom. His legacy was to send me to school and have one of his daughters known worldwide. So, my late mom and my siblings sent me away to school and always encouraged me to be that daughter.